#but due to how time passes in other worlds Max is now two or three years younger than Windy

[algae-tm]

PEOPLE, PLACES, THINGS

Max Verstappen x anthropologist! Reader

Author’s note : this smau has a special place in my heart, if you haven’t noticed I’m not Caucasian, but was born and raised in Nigeria and a lot of my university life has been centred around studies of the black diaspora. My masters research is on homosexuality and Afro-syncretic religions, so have been trying to figure out how to incorporate it so thought I’d go full send and thus this was borne.

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peopleplacesthings just posted

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peopleplacesthings: I spent three years (give or take) with the people of the Bahia state in Brasil, researching the afro-syncretic religion of Candomblé. My research paper on the gender roles within Candomblé (how men express masculinity, and the role of women as spiritual leaders) will be published online where everyone will be able to access it. Can’t wait to see where the world takes me next!! 🌎🇧🇷

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yourbsfuser: y/n baby I love you and your big brain, but please take a sabbatical 😭. stay in the UK for a while.

— peopleplacesthings: what’s in it for me? 🤨

— yourbsfuser: seeing your family and friends???

— peopleplacesthings: sorry gotta blast, the world is waiting 🏃🏿‍♀️

user10: your masters research on the linguistic appropriation of AAVE was vital for me completing my dissertation! Thank you so much

— peopleplacesthings: passing down knowledge is the key to preserving culture! I love when I get comments like this, well done my love.

lewishamilton: so you’re free now?

— peopleplacesthings: until my next adventure

— lewishamilton: good to know

— user10: not SIR LEWIS HAMILTON in my old TA’s comment section

— user7: IK 😭 she was a guest lecturer at my uni like one month ago! Really my two worlds colliding 😭😭

— user8: how do they know eachother???

— user9: I’m guessing they must have met one of the times Lewis was in Brazil??

— peopleplacesthings: he is my cousin! he’s much older and way less attractive than me so that’s probs why you couldn’t see the family resemblance🙂🙂

yoursisteruser: 2 back to back research papers… you could use a break from work

— peopleplacesthings: it’s not work if you love what you do 🤗🤗

— user17: 2 research papers??? How old is she?

— user19: she’s actually done 3! One for her masters which was only 15,000 words and then 2 more, her 2nd was for her PhD and she’s published her last two as books. She’s 28 if I’m not mistaken. I’m not a stalker just obsessed with her work!

— user17: oh so she’s SMART smart

— user19: bro she’s DOCTORATE OF ANTHROPOLOGY smart

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peopleplacesthings just posted

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peopleplacesthings: I can check getting papped reading in the park off my bucket list… maybe I should start a book club! Anyways everything is a learning opportunity so I am currently reading Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga. Don’t be so surprised that I read fiction! Nervous Conditions is a valuable case study in cultural anthropology due to its rich exploration of themes related to post-colonial identity, gender, and cultural conflict. If you take my post-colonial anthropology module in September, this will definitely be on the further reading list. Come read with me! 📚 📚

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user1: are we sure this is the woman max is dating…

— user3: I was just wondering that, so out of left field 😭 😭

— user4: I mean what do they even have to talk about? She just lectures him all day?

lewishamilton: how can I take your class if I’m not enrolled in the university?? 🤨🤨

— peopleplacesthings: you can’t! Hope this helps

— user5: jeez she’s so rude…

— user9: who does she think she is????

— peopleplacesthings: Dr. Y/n Y/ln that’s who I know I am

user11: so is anthropology all she talks about, or does she have hobbies…

— peopleplacesthings: I happen to think my field of anthropology; the study of societies, people and culture, is quite interesting. But no I am a person I contain multitudes anthropology is not all I talk about.

user6: not y’all invalidating a woman with a literal doctorate just because she MIGHT be dating your fav… pls touch grass

— user13: that’s what I’m saying! If anything she’s WAY out of Max’s league, hasn’t he only ever read like 2 books?? (liked by danielricciardo)

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peopleplacesthings just posted

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peopleplacesthings: We DTR’ed!!

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lewishamilton: DTR?

— peopleplacesthings: Define the Relationship apparently

— lewishamilton: my how the tables have turned, miss I don’t date drivers.

— peopleplacesthings: DR* I don’t date drivers. And what can I say my commitment issues are no match for Max Verstappen

danielricciardo: you’re welcome!

— user4: what could you possible have done

— danielricciardo: I told max to grow some balls that’s what! I’m the architect of this relationship

— peopleplacesthings: you and Lewis can fight over that title

maxverstappen1: WE DTR’ED!!!!

— peopleplacesthings: hell yeah we did!

maxverstappen1: I love you schat ❤️💙

— peopleplacesthings: 🥹 I love you too

you doofus

maxverstappen1 just posted

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maxverstappen1: Did it hurt when you fell from your culture’s dogmatic view of an afterlife?

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peopleplacesthings: I think that’s the sexiest thing anyone has ever said to me

— maxverstappen1: there’s more where that came from

— peopleplacesthings: oh shucks not in public maxie

— danielricciardo: this is the weirdest foreplay I’ve ever witnessed

user14: how did a man that drives in circles manage to bag my anthro professor??

— user16: shouldn’t that be the other way round???

— user14: if you ever attended one of her lectures and saw her in action you would know the answer to that question is absolutely not (liked by maxverstappen1)

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[lightwoodbanethings]

Murrayed

AO3

Part two || part three || part four || part five

Oh hey, I wrote something based off of this post I made a while ago!

Keep reading for some Murray and Steddie shenanigans!

Things had calmed down since the final showdown with Vecna, at least calmed down in an ‘upside down’ sense. Hawkins had slowly been stitched back together and the community had rallied together in a way no one had expected, but had been pleasantly surprised by. The actual party was still as chaotic as ever, especially with the Hopper-Byers clan merging together and moving back to Hawkins. But things were normal, or as normal as they could be. 

Everyone had now been introduced to each other during the months that had followed saving the world and they were like one big, happy and dysfunctional family. Some were closer than others and some formed unexpected friendships. If anyone had told Robin half a year ago she’d consider Miss Nancy ‘the priss’ Wheeler a close friend, she would have laughed in their face. But here the girls were, having sleepovers and talking about unsolved crimes and their love for solving mysteries. Then of course there was Steve and Eddie, The King and The Freak respectively. Dustin had been over the moon about his two favourite older friends bonding, though a little annoyed at times that it meant they had less time for him.

Once the chaos after the ‘almost end of the world’ had settled, Murray had been invited to the Hopper-Byers housewarming BBQ and was very impressed with Hopper and Joyce’s new place. Due to everything that had happened in Hawkins the past few years, housing prices had plummeted and so the merged family had managed to get a really good deal on a beautiful home that had plenty of space for the family and guests. The backyard in particular was stunning, Joyce had planted bright rows of flowers and there was a decently sized pool and lounging area. 

As Murray arrived, almost everyone was already here and Hopper had already got the BBQ going and had made a start on the food. He was wearing a ridiculous apron that read ‘kiss the cook, but don’t touch the buns!’ and looked as though he was showing El how to cook using the grill. Murray couldn’t help but smile at the pair, Hopper seemed to be glowing with pride as El used a spatula to turn over one of the burger patties. 

“‘scuse me”

Murray stepped to the side to let a slightly disheveled Joyce pass, carrying a bowl of salad in her arms whilst grasping some spoons in one of her hands. He watched her place the salad bowl on a nearby table and put the spoons into what he assumed to be various dips. Murray could tell Joyce had been rushing around to set everything up and make it perfect, she didn’t even acknowledge him when she hurried back inside the house, presumably to grab more food. 

Jonathan and Argyle were sitting on the edge of the pool, Jonathan's trousers rolled up and Argyle in a pair of shorts as their feet dangled into the water. Will and Dustin were engaged in conversation whilst a confused looking Steve stood by them, arms folded across his chest and brows furrowed as though he was trying hard to follow the conversation. Max was laid on a sun lounger whilst Lucas sat at the bottom of it with her feet in his lap, resting on his hands that were stretched out behind him. Robin and Nancy were standing near a table of drinks chatting, though Robin mainly seemed to be the one doing the talking. Nancy didn’t seem to mind, smiling and nodding her head as she listened and watched Robin throw her arms around excitedly. Murray almost didn’t spot the youngest of the bunch floating on their back in the pool, Erica. The one who Murray, though he would never admit this to anyone, was low key terrified of but also made him rather proud at the same time. He was sure she was going to end up running the country at some point. 

He couldn’t spot the younger Wheeler sibling anywhere, which quite frankly he preferred. He could see how it was tearing Will up watching his best friend playing boyfriend (albeit it badly) to his sister. 

As Murray made his way over to the table of food, offering Hopper a curt nod on his way, his attention was suddenly brought back to the house as a boisterous figure entered the backyard through the patio doors.

“Don’t worry folks, your jester has arrived!” and with a dramatic bow, Eddie Munson had arrived at the BBQ. 

Even in the middle of the scolding summer, the young man was still wearing his battle vest over his t-shirt (though his t-shirt did at least have short sleeves) and ridiculously tight black jeans.

Murray rolled his eyes and went to put his attention back on the food but as he glanced over he noticed something. Dustin was gesturing and calling for Eddie to come over with a big grin on his face and little Byers was smiling towards him too, but their reactions weren’t what stood out to Murray. Oh no. It was Steve Harrington’s reaction that caught his eye. As the charismatic metal head made his way over, Steve couldn’t take his eyes off of him. He had relaxed his arms and let them fall to his sides and had the most genuine smile on his face. Murray recognised the sparkle in his eyes as Eddie ruffled both the younger boys' hair before moving in to hug Steve. The hug lasted on the side of a little bit too long and Steve continued to smile brightly and keep his focus on Eddie as his little proteges brought him into their conversation. 

Murray let out a little sigh and shook his head as he smiled to himself, he reached into the pocket of his shorts and took out a small flask. 

“Here we go again…” he muttered to himself before throwing his head back and taking a big glug from the liquid in the flask. 

[beezonia]

Okay some more general miraculous mons stuff because I need to world build a bit more

I feel like all I’m posting for this au is doodles and no story (I’m sorry)

——

Mari is 18 and so are most of the kids

She and Nino are still best friends in this, same with Kim but he’s separated himself from them now (hangs around with Max, Alix and Ondine)

These three were like shauna, tierno and trevor in the xy games and they went around Kalos helping professor sycamore with his research

Marinette then went to compete in showcases full time

Nino has his own radio show where he just blasts good tunes and vibes all around Kalos

Kim and his pokèmon are training to become the strongest (he plans on doing the gym challenge soon)

Yeah

Adrien grew up with Chloe as one of his closest friends

The two of them trained together constantly, longing for their parents validation (Chloe specifically wanted to impress audrey)

Adrien then started to enter contests due to his mother and her showcase performances being his inspiration

He gained his popularity for being humble but absolutely decimating his competition

Chloe followed not long after but ended up doing showcases instead, her father always backed her and was proud she had decided to do something for herself

Chloe and Marinette met due to the showcase circuits, they tended to but heads at first but soon found common ground when they both realised they loved styling their pokèmon

Chloe also does Furfrou grooming in her spare time, she finds it therapeutic!

She then flips when Adrien and Marinette tell her they finally met each other

Kagami longs to be a pokèmon ranger instead of a champion (like her mother, Tomoe was the champion of Jhoto before she passed it to Lance)

So when she meets Felix and the rest of the gang kagami slowly learns to let loose and break free from the chains

Felix is going for champion

In Galar, he’s already in the top 2 for the region’s best trainers so why not

He also really loves studying the legends of pokèmon and how the bonds of humans and mons made the pokèmon world how it is today

Alya is working under Alexa, she’s always out looking for the next big scoops

Yeah that’s about it for now (again sorry I’m not giving you guys a lot for this au)

[dxncingwithastrxnger]

baby, we're just reckless kids - Part 1 (Inotan)

A/N: Hello!! So sorry that this is so late, I didn't mean for it to be!! I've been pretty busy these past couple of days, plus, in my free time, I was very much distracted binge-reading this tarzan-inspired Inotan fic on ao3 that's soooooo good, I'm almost done with it. It's called Wildflowers, I highly recommend it. If you can't find it and would like the link, just lemme know!! Anyways, here's the story for day 4!! I'm hoping to get at least day 5 also posted today since today is day 6 and then I'll only be a day behind, not two, lmao. Day 5 is actually gonna be a continuation/part 2 to this, though it is gonna mostly be smut, so watch out for that if you'd like to read it!!

Pairing(s): Inosuke x Tanjiro, Zenitsu x Nezuko (mentioned)

Prompt: Day 4: Domestic

Summary: Tanjiro and Inosuke enjoy a sweet, soft morning together in their brand new home before taking themselves to the pet store and picking up some new family members.

Tag(s): Aged up characters, fluff, a slight bit of spice at the beginning, but it's not really much at all, just a lil makeout session that doesn't last very long

Word Count: 1,990

Song Inspiration: Lights Down Low By MAX

Not beta'd, all mistakes are my own.

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[Author Masterlist]

[Read on AO3]

~*~

It’s officially been about a week since Tanjiro and Inosuke moved in together, three months since they started dating and about four months since they first met. Today, the two of them are hoping to adopt a pet together, something the two of them had been talking about for a few weeks now, ever since they’d officially found a house.

Zenitsu claims they’re moving too fast, no matter how many times Tanjiro explains to him that different couples go at different paces depending on their own boundaries and how they work as people in general, both together and separately. While Nezuko and Zenitsu have been dating for five years now and only reached the “I love you” stage around a year ago, here Tanjiro and Inosuke are, sharing the same space and home and already expressing their feelings of love on a daily basis and not even half a year has passed yet.

And Tanjiro is aware that it’s quite soon compared to how people usually do things, but he also knows that it feels exactly right for the two of them. I mean, it just suits how the two of them are as people. Inosuke is someone who charges in without hesitation, goes after what he wants right away, and doesn’t let anyone else dictate his actions. On the other hand, Tanjiro is the most patient person in the world when need be, but knows how to be extremely selfish with what he wants when he knows it’s okay to do so and he spends most of his time just going with the flow, taking whatever the universe throws at him and then whatever Inosuke throws at him as well.

The two of them compliment each other perfectly, Tanjiro believes. They can read each other so well and when they’re in the same space, more often than not, they end up perfectly in sync. He’s never met another person that suits him so well. That can know what he wants before he asks, know what he needs before he even knows himself, can pick up on each of his emotions and knows exactly how he expresses them, knows how to respond to them without him having to explain a single thing to the other man. It’s incredibly freeing. That’s how Inosuke makes him feel. Free.

And now he’s waking up beside the man, bright red eyes opening and immediately finding bright green ones already staring at him. “Morning.” Inosuke says quietly, his voice gruffer than usual due to sleep.

Tanjiro leans forward to press his forward against the other man’s. “Morning.” He says just as quietly, closing his eyes and smiling as he basks in the warmth surrounding him from the sunlight peeking through the crack in the curtains, the large comforter covering his body, and his boyfriend’s strong arms holding him close.

“Someone slept well last night.” Inosuke says teasingly, leaning forward to close the small inch of space left between their faces and nuzzling his nose against the redhead’s cheek.

“It’s impossible not to with you here.” Tanjiro says softly, returning the action.

Inosuke makes a small, happy noise and brings one of his hands up from the other man’s waist to place it on his cheek instead and then he’s moving his lips to the side in order to brush them against Tanjiro’s. The red-haired man sighs happily, melting further into the mattress beneath him as he presses himself closer to Inosuke and returns the almost kiss.

They do that a few more times, brushing lips and tangling their bodies together even more than before, trying to be as close as possible. Tanjiro has one hand on the side of Inosuke’s face, fingertips touching his black-blue hair, while his other hand is placed on the man’s muscular shoulder. Inosuke’s hand on his cheek had moved down in order to rest against the side of his neck instead, his thumb brushing back and forth against Tanjiro’s jaw, and his other hand is holding his side, the arm attached to it wrapped around his waist tightly.

Finally, their lips connect fully, no more simple brushes. But even then, every single action is soft, sweet, and slow, like they have all the time in the world to just lay here in each other’s arms and show their affections. Their lips move in sync, just like they always do, and when Inosuke tentatively runs his tongue along the seam of Tanjiro’s lips, he’s more than happy to welcome the dark-haired man in.

His boyfriend lets out a sigh that turns into a soft, subtle moan and Tanjiro can’t help but return the noise as their tongues roll together lazily. He starts a slow, languid exploration of the other’s mouth and receives the same in return, the two of them just enjoying the taste of the other and the feel of their bodies pressed together. Eventually, hands started moving, tender, affectionate touches being exchanged, and when both of their bodies started to fill with heat and hands started to wander past what’s acceptable for simple affection, they pulled away, eyes opening and observing each other.

Inosuke’s face is flushed deep pink, as he’s sure his own is, and his pupils are dilated, what’s still visible of the green seeming deeper somehow. The man’s lips are dark, swollen, and very obviously chewed on, a bit of saliva on them. Tanjiro is certain he doesn’t look much different. Usually in a moment like this, the pause between them would be a “we aren’t ready to go farther than this” kind of pause, but he felt that it was different this time. This time, it felt more like a “we’ll continue this at a later time” kind of pause, which is confirmed by the look in Inosuke’s eyes, a desire and need that Tanjiro feels low in his gut. Yes. Not right now, but later. They silently communicated such a promise before untangling from each other in order to gain some breathing room.

“We should make some breakfast.” Inosuke speaks up, stretching his entire body before sitting up. Tanjiro follows his lead, agreeing with his suggestion

~*~

When discussing what animal they wanted to get as a pet, they decided on cats. Cats, as long as there’s more than one of them, are usually pretty low maintenance, meaning that when both of them are at work for the day, there’s not much to worry about as long as the animals have all of their necessities available to them. Plus, they both just really enjoy cats. Inosuke is always talking about how fascinating they are and Tanjiro can’t help but agree.

Walking into the pet store, Tanjiro can’t help but smile, taking Inosuke’s hand in his and entwining their fingers together. They’d already called ahead and informed one of the store employees that they were on their way and what they were wanting to do, which is meet their kittens, so all they had to do was go up to the counter and let them know that they’re the ones who had just called.

One of the people behind the counter smiles kindly and leads them to a back room where about a dozen different kittens are playing together. “You can sit and play with them for a little bit, see which one you like the most.” He tells them.

“Thank you.” Tanjiro nods to him as the man stays by the door before walking over to sit near Inosuke in the center of the room. Upon first glance, just by look alone, he immediately has his eye on a kitten with long, reddish-orange fur who’s currently attempting to climb the wall. He then chuckles to himself as he watches a brown, striped kitten walk up and paw at the other one, as if they’re trying to get the one climbing to get down.

“Babe.” Inosuke speaks up after a few minutes. “I’ve been claimed.” He says as the redhead turns to look at him. Tanjiro bursts into giggles. Sitting on Inosuke’s head is a gray kitten with crystal blue eyes, sitting straight with their little nose pointed upwards as if they’re proud of their current sitting spot. It’s easy to tell that Inosuke is being very careful not to disturb the kitten, keeping his head completely balanced.

“You’ve been claimed?” Tanjiro questions, an eyebrow raised and his voice filled with an amused tone.

“He came right up to me and headbutted my leg, so then I knocked him over onto his side. Then he ran around behind me and pounced on my back, climbed up to my shoulder, and headbutted the side of my head. So then I put him back on the ground and knocked him over again. Then he did the same exact thing except he just kept climbing until he was on my head, and now he’s just there.” Inosuke explains to him.

“So, you’ve been claimed.” Tanjiro states rather than asks.

“I’ve been claimed.” The dark-haired man repeats, closing his eyes and looking rather pleased with himself.

He grins at his boyfriend before pointing across the room at the kittens he’s been watching. “And what do you think of those two?” He asks.

Inosuke opens his eyes and follows the direction of his finger, spotting the two kittens right as the reddish-brown one tackles the striped, brown one, the two of them rolling around. Inosuke chuckles a little as he watches the wrestling match. “You thinkin’ both of ‘em?” He asks, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Tanjiro shrugs. “I mean, maybe. Unless that’s too many?” He asks hesitantly, looking back at him.

Inosuke’s face softens and he shakes his head just slightly, smiling. “Not at all. Let’s get all three.” He says. Tanjiro lights up immediately, eyes sparkling with excitement as Inosuke waves to the worker still at the door to the room.

He walks over and smiles, eyes flicking to the kitten still on Inosuke’s head for a moment before looking back at their faces. “Have you guys decided who you’ll be taking home today?” He asks.

“Yes!” Tanjiro confirms as Inosuke grins.

“Definitely taking this lil’ one.” Inosuke says, reaching up and pulling the kitten off his head in order to hold the animal instead, even while the kitten struggles and tries to get out of his arms, to which Inosuke just coos and nuzzles his face against the soft gray fur.

“And then those two, the striped and the reddish-orange.” Tanjiro says, pointing the two of them out.

“Wonderful!” The man says. “Those three usually get along great, so that’s something you won’t need to worry about.” He informs them, walking over to pick up the other two, separating their wrestling match. “This red-orange guy and the little gray you have over there are boys and this striped one is a girl. All three of them are about eight weeks old.”

Tanjiro stands as the man is talking to them, Inosuke following suit. “That’s great.”

Nodding, the man holds both of the other kittens out to Tanjiro. “Would you like to hold them while I go get a carrier for you to take these little ones home in?” He asks, to which Tanjiro nods eagerly and takes both of them from him, holding them close. The man then walks past them and out of the room.

Inosuke steps right in front of Tanjiro, holding the gray kitten right between the other two. The gray kitten calms down instantly once he notices the presence of the others and Inosuke and Tanjiro laugh softly as both of the kittens Tanjiro is holding start to groom the one Inosuke is holding, proving the employee’s words about the three getting along. Tanjiro then looks up to find Inosuke already staring at him, his bright, green eyes sparkling with joy. As soon as they lock eyes, Inosuke leans in to press a gentle, loving kiss against his lips and Tanjiro returns the affection happily.

~*~

A/N: Please lemme know what you think!!! The second part is gonna be a continuation of this taking place on the same day, in which Inosuke and Tanjiro have that later time that they agreed upon in the beginning of the fic ;) I hope you enjoyed this!! I'm starting to pick up a habit of ending fics/fic chapters with kisses, whoops

[vivianbernadetteaurora]

My three favourite chickadee Amy Jade Winehouse, Nancy

Laura Spurgeon and Courtney Michelle Harrison love.

Guys, what’s your favourite of all these designs? I really like them and put them all together. It’s funny because all of these three women are possibly Jewish. Two of them are 100% Jewish funny thing is I don’t really like Jewish people a lot of of the time due to the fact of anti-Semitism is like their own form of racism but I don’t like the corrupt ones that run Hollywood sorry I don’t. I don’t have anything against ones on up in power doing really bad things, but the women are fucking love their gorgeous strong amazing I love their voice everything and that is how I see these three. My love for Courtney Love goes back to when I was 22 years old and I met the man of my life my love of my life, Nirvana, then I wanted to know everything about Nirvana because, my ex was really into them so I learnt about Courtney Love as well because she comes with the story let her and I became absolutely obsessed with her with me being her and my partner being him I saw her. I thought that we could look like each other, each of the people me being at Courtney him being KURT and since then I’ve looked into both of their charts and Courtney. I have read the book the murder of Kurt Cobain by Max Wallace and Ian Halpin about 11 times and I still can’t come to the conclusion of whether she killed him or not, but still I am obsessed with both of them. I get absolutely obsessed with both of them and I go from really liking Courtney to thinking she’s a fucking maths , when it comes to Nancy spudgen , I feel like she had a lot of problems but not quite as the same as Courtney I feel like her manipulation actually was more subconscious. Where is Courtney? Seem to be much more fall out and problematic when you read Nancy‘s mother’s book about her and how she knew that she wasn’t gonna be here for a long time she didn’t even think she’d pass her first birthday. I mean she didn’t even think she’d get to her 21st birthday which she didn’t , she died on the 12th of October 1978 , of 20 her partner Sid Vicious who was on trial for her murder always gonna be on trial for her murder he admitted it and then he didn’t know whether he’d done it or not because he was don’t think he killed her but who knows , nobody will ever know ……. He died in February the following year the 2nd of February February 19 79 , all these women have had very intense relationships with their other half , and some sort of couple toxic twin flame , Courtney loves she obviously got to the age that she is now , because when you’re in your situations you think life won’t go on you think you’ll be here? That will be it forever and that you’re in this little universe with you and that person but I’m telling you guys when once you reach your 30s and you’ve gone past your Saturn return there’s no game fucking back, and you might lose that person physically mentally or emotionally or all3 and I tell you what there’s no feeling like it you can literally die of a broken heart, I’ve felt for the last six years I may be in a relationship but I still have these obsessions about my ex partner who I believed was the one for me. This is working relate to these women so much, and as for Amy I mean come on.. that came out of this woman people literally thought she was a black jazz singer when she was this white Jewish woman from North London, she’s one of the fucking good ones she had no bad bone in her, and like myself the person who supplied over with heroin, session became everything she became with her supplier and I tell you what that’s what happens in this world you become obsessed with these people the person who supplies you this drug that is something that you can’t control , I think a lot of people do not understand the dynamic of Amy and Blake but I’m telling you that heavy he someone gives you when they give you heroin is something else and I really want to try to explain it and away you’ve got a think love is like a drug they will say love is a drug and it is and when someone gives you a drug literally with that love and they become everything to you . Supplier of your love and

She truly loved that man more than anything in the world and the loves and the drugs it all became part of it and she lived it all unfortunately it became to her demise and this lady had definitely had some sort of personality disorder. I’m gonna say , they say she didn’t even know she had BPD on her death certificate , she was brought up in way that you don’t show your pain in the right way maybe I don’t know. I don’t like people keep judging the parents because parents are only humans too , your child gets addicted to drugs. You’ll never understand you never understand that world and once you’re in that world you’re in that world full of long haul and people around you do not understand it but I’m here to defend it and love her and find her amazing she gave us so much and asked for so little rest in peace Nancy Laura spudgen I’m rest in peace Amy Winehouse .

[ellin-messenger]

Journal's log

Warning: dark theme, mature, suggestive (?), disturbing, bad writing, some plot can be offended by readers, contains reverse harem theme (poly) but it's platonic, cursed words (slim chance, maybe), heavily spoiler from the canon story

All the writings were sfw, but there's a chance can be suggestive.

Series au.

The events will be happening either before or after y/n (you) demoted as a mistress.

Main route: Her lady's daily life

Haa.. what another day to have a tea in the balcony. It seemed it never been so peaceful in the dailies ever since your former clients seldom to come by to your villa.. Anyway, it's time for taken a duty as a mistress, what a sight as you saw a bunch of files filled with cases forced to drag you in.

Winter outing

Their sincere gifts (feb special)

Additional

Not yet to be released

Alternative route

Something wrong with my intimacy system..

Another day despite you reincarnated as a role of mistress, you did your normal and usual daily duty, along side with your two assistants and your personal escort help smoothen your work. These few days, you found their behaviour suspiciously odd. The way their act unexpectedly to be imitate.. maybe a little too much. Once you started to realise as you opened your main system window, the intimacy system suddenly goes glitch and the level surprising increase at the max without any efforts in making. Even your system guidance was confused, how it did happen? Maybe you unsure until you witness such a shocking scene, did they... really turn into bloodshed and sickening lovesick all of sudden? Not only your three precious companions, it also effected to others, which is your former clients and.. your schoolmates. Better act before it turns worsen. (dark theme implied)

Not yet to be released...

I'm their wife, surprising.

You're questioning yourself, how did you manage to get here? As their wife of your husbands? You don't know why though as you thought it was impossible, but neither fortunate or not, you accepted all of their proposals as their dearly wife, you're having a hard time to choose one of them, why not all? Ah, don't worry. It's time for them that finally to release affectionate desire for you ever since they held back amounts of feelings for you as they were desperate needing you to be theirs, as a real lover. You made them felt so adore you, wanting to love you, wanting your pretty gaze upon them, and please, let them spoil you as much as they wish for, will you? (domestic relationship route, lots of poly)

Not yet to be release...

Missy is a genius detective!

(Modern ver.) Unexpectedly you were born as an average kid with a mid rich life, your father spoiled you with lots, lots love for you. He was lucky to have his lovely and surprising genius daughter like you. Just... how come you get involved all of this? Nevermind, better hunt some crazy serial criminals without caring onto something.

Not yet to be released...

Real world events [tears of themis(?)]

Events will before you were reincarnated and after you were back in your original world.

Another tiring day after you worked as a private lawyer. It's a really, really bothersome job to accomplish. You, a young woman who was around the 20s, lived as a homesick in an apartment. It was lonely and empty despite you're an adult now. Wonder how you will be able to grow young again. Until, that time.. you were passed out due to the medicine's overdose. Your childhood friend desperately wanted you to wake up again. And here you are, woke up in bedridden. Another day, a normal live as you kept live up in your lifestyle but even more..lively.

Not yet to be released..

do not plagiarism on creator's work. reblogs are allowed.

[windfighter]

Tiden mellan äventyren

De var på väg till lava-fältet. Mats och DDR hade tagit ledningen och gick först tillsammans med Kouichi. Hugo, Yamato, Kouji och Zara gick efter dem tillsammans med Gabumon och Gaby, och Max och Arkadimon utgjorde eftertruppen.

”Borde vi göra upp en plan?” frågade Kouichi och Mats ryckte på axlarna.

”Om det är som Max säger och de faktiskt är goda behöver vi bara be snällt så får vi nog gå igenom.”

Max sa inget. Zara saktade in sina egna steg tills hon hamnade bredvid Max istället.

”Vi har inte hunnit prata så mycket”, sa hon med låg röst. Max nickade.

”Jag var aldrig så bra på att prata, annat än för att visa hur smart jag är med all min kunskap.”

Zara skrattade.

”Du ÄR smart”, svarade hon, fortfarande med låg röst. ”Och yngre.”

”Jag har rest mycket.” Det var inget svar men det hade heller inte varit en fråga. De gick i tystnad ett par minuter, Kouichi försökte övertala Mats om att de behövde ha en plan och Kouji gjorde några halvhjärtade försök att hjälpa till.

”Men om Mats och jag tar oss dit och ni andra väntar utanför?” föreslog Hugo. ”Vi är eld båda två ju.”

”Jag skulle definitivt föredra att vänta utanför”, viskade Zara och Max skrattade.

”Vi måste till Skuggvärlden allihopa”, sa han högt så att de andra också skulle höra. ”Det är lika bra att vi går in tillsammans, annars kan de misstänka oss för att jobba för de mörka mästarna eller någon.”

Hugo ökade sina steg så han hamnade bredvid Mats och de två började diskutera hur de skulle ta sig igenom lava-fältet. Kouichi skakade på huvudet och tog plats bredvid Kouji istället. Arkadimon klättrade över till Zaras axel och hon klappade honom.

”Vet du… vad som hände de andra barnen?” frågade hon. Max’ leende försvann och han svalde.

”De ökade säkerheten efter att Firedemon rymde”, svarade han. ”Pappa berättade väldigt lite för mig efter det. Pieter blev infångad igen efter vårt äventyr…”

”Kuso…”

”Yeah… Jag har inte sett honom sen dess. Iceangel…” Max sneglade mot Zara. ”Iceangel blev skickad till D-11.”

Zara nickade och ignorerade frågan Max hade hängt i luften. Max valde att inte ställa den.

”Miljön blev hårdare överlag. Jag smet in några gånger. Mycket stridsträning, nya serum.”

De vandrade i tystnad ett par minuter.

”Alexander blev satt i fängelse. Vi trodde det skulle få slut på Labbet, men… Skuggvarelserna dök upp för ett halvår sedan.”

”Vad hände med dig efter vårt äventyr?”

”Röda Vita Rosen.” Max såg mot horisonten. ”Digikontrollerna öppnar… många olika vägar. Röda Vita Rosen var en… motståndsrörelse låter för dramatiskt. Vi var ett gäng ungar med för mycket tid över. Jag reste, samlade information.” Han såg mot Zara igen. ”Namnet kommer från Iceangel och Firedemon, såklart.”

”Såklart”, hon log.

”Jag jobbar med Shirou och Gunt nu. Ni får träffa dem när vi kommer till Skuggvärlden.”

Max satte händerna i fickan och Arkadimon klättrade tillbaks till Max’ axel.

”Tänker du berätta för de andra?” frågade Max. ”Om din…”

Zara svalde och sneglade mot Yamato.

”Sist jag visade någon dödade jag dem nästan.” Hon såg på sina händer. ”Jag har kontroll över krafterna, men… inte över ilskan.”

Han la en hand på hennes axel och kramade den. Hon log mot honom. Yamato stannade och såg sig omkring.

”Uh… Jag… tror vi har glömt någon.”

Mats slutade gå och såg på personerna som följde honom. Han slog sig för pannan.

”Andy och Guilmon. De måste ha hittat mat nånstans. Skit också.”

”Vilket språk”, Zara skrattade. ”Så vad gör vi nu? Väntar vi, eller?”

”Vi får hitta honom”, konstaterade Kouji. ”Yama, Windy, vi rör oss snabbast. Ni andra fortsätter mot lavafälten så hittar vi Andy.”

Kouji, Yamato och Zara tog fram sina digikontroller. Ett vitt ljus spreds över Gabumon och Gaby.

”Gabumon digutvecklas till… GARURUMON!”

Digikod samlades runt Koujis hand och han drog sin digikontroll över den.

”Spirit Evolution! Garmmon!”

Zara och Yamato klättrade upp på sina digimons, vinkade hejdå och sen gav de sig av tillsammans med Garmmon i jakt på Andy och Guilmon. Mats, DDR, Hugo, Max, Arkadimon och Kouichi fortsatte vidare mot lavafälten. De skulle ses igen snart.

[adarasink]

atlas in his sleep | steddie series

SUMMARY: The plan was simple. Step one: Max distracted Henry/Vecna/One. Step two: Dustin, Steve, and Eddie distracted him long enough for step three—Robin and Nancy Molotov cocktailed the bastard, finishing him with a bullet between the eyes.

Every step of the plan fails in some way, but they all make it alive. No one knows how Eddie made it out alive. In the regroup, no one understood how Steve helped him survive a hurricane of bats. Steve knew. He dreamt about it day and night for a week until it almost drove him to insanity. Steve would never forget.

OR; A universe where everything almost went to shit, but somehow didn't.

read on ao3 | soundtrack

No one knew how Eddie survived.

No one but Steve, that is.

Steve had clear thoughts — and dreams — of Dustin's face finding their body as Steve dragged Eddie out of Lover's Lake, bloodied and dirtier than he's ever been in his entire life.

"He's... what the fuck. What the fuck! Steve, how the fuck is he alive?"

His lack of answer back then could be attributed to his panting, the tiredness in his bones from carrying both of their bodies, all the blood — god, there's so much blood — and, of course, the need for a goddamn doctor.

"Steve! How is he alive?! What the hell! You can't do that shit to me, you can't just run back through one of the gates and tell me to goddamn WAIT, then—fuck, he's bleeding so much. Is someone on stand-by? This is a Code Red! A code red! We need a doctor!"

Steve held Eddie's body in his arms while they waited for the ambulance, and avoided every other one of Dustin's questions. He might've passed out at some point, but he woke up before the sirens came.

He was alive. Everyone was.

On his ride to the hospital, Steve closed his eyes and prayed that would be enough this time.

For two weeks, Steve was surrounded by the faces of doctors and the smell of sterile rooms.

Even though he needed only a few days at the hospital to tend to his wounds, he was one of many of them who needed a doctor.

Everything was a mess, too, outside of their bubble of 'I Just Saved the World': Hopper was back, but he now worked with the Government in the shadows, trying his best to come up with an excuse (lie) to get Eddie rid of his charges and explain everything that happened, as well as why he was back.

Max almost died.

That one hit Steve in the chest harder than bullets or any demo-bats biting chunks of meat out his body. Max almost fucking died, and Steve felt a sour taste in his mouth every time he blinked and was reminded of that by the sight of her arriving at the hospital with two broken bones, passed out from the shock of the pain and with tears of blood streaming down her face. Max Mayfield, the sass and sunshine aura hidden behind death glares of the group, she had almost died if Eleven hadn't found inside of her the strength and willpower to fight Vecna before he finished his job and it was too late.

What would have happened if Max had died?

"Four sacrifices. Four gates."

Steve dreamt about four gates opening up in his town. Splitting Hawkins into pieces. Sometimes, the gates looked like four gaping eyes. Others, they connected. However the gates appeared in his dreams, it was a sight from hell, but none of them worse than seeing Max pale and comatose.

There was also the fact that Eddie was alive, but things were far from easy for him.

Due to Lucas's statement, painted and curated with the help of Eleven, Joyce, and Hopper, the charges were taken away. There was no cult, the perpetrator of the deaths was being "searched" and they all had witnessed "Henry Creel" tying up Max, trying to perform some sort of "ritual". All the air quotes were necessary and said on live TV by Sheriff Powell. It offered some sort of explanation, along with a whole other lot of bullshit, and removed his charges 'officially', but a town like Hawkins would never forget and drop the opportunity of demonizing the D&D Master of something called Hellfire Club.

So for two weeks, Steve went to the hospital.

He visited Max along with the other kids, read to her, tried his best a teasing remark here and there about 'I'm gonna call a lawyer if you don't wake up soon and see what I can do about getting those Wonder Woman comics I heard you have to myself... I'm serious, Mayfield. I love Wonder Woman', but the silence that followed never got easier.

When not in Max's room, Steve was at Eddie's.

He was there so often, in fact, that Wayne Munson became sort of his... friend.

Well—Steve called him a friend. Getting more than a grunt or a nod from Wayne was as easy as getting candies out of a kid's hand, so the small conversations meant he must at least tolerate Steve's presence. Wayne about his day, offered small talk, even let him be alone with Eddie, something he did only for Dustin and the other boys of Hellfire.

Steve visited him, talking to him whenever he found him awake.

By the third visit, Eddie learned to stop asking the same question Dustin pestered him with: How is he alive, Steve? He was surrounded. What did you do?

Steve avoided them all until they stopped asking.

He was getting good at that.

At one point, Eddie just shook his head, looked Steve up and down, then sighed. "You know, Harrington..."

"Yeah?"

"I have no idea how you did it," Eddie paused for dramatic purposes, pinning Steve under his piercing eyes, saying you know what I'm talking about without opening his mouth, then continued. "But... however it was. Thanks. I mean it. I..." He snickered. "I think I might still have a battle or two left in me, so—" he let out a shuddery breath. "I'm happy I'll be here for them."

"No more battles," Steve said, talking straight out of his ass. Will's words had already arrived in his ears: He's alive. Henry's alive. "Not for a while, at least. I fucking hope not," Steve chuckled humorlessly, looking away from Eddie for a second. "We all need at least a goddamn winter of peace, don't we?"

"Sure do."

"Yeah. So let's hope for that."

"Thought you were gonna say 'pray' for that for a sec," Eddie laughed. Steve joined, finding the same humor in the thought.

"Pray to who?" Steve laughed harder.

"No clue. I always had lots of thoughts on the concept of a god or whatever and why we humans cling to this idea of something 'bigger' than us 'protecting' and 'watching over us', but I am not nearly high enough to get into those." Eddie did air quotes, and Steve noted this is where he got the habit from now.

Two times Robin threw him her weird judgy look when he did air quotes in the middle of their conversation, and Steve just realized that ah... so this is where I saw it first.

Steve nodded. "So you're telling me that when you get high your go-to topics are... god and immortality?"

"Precisely, darling."

"Wow. You sound like a delight to be around when high." Steve should be used by now to the way Eddie called him nicknames and how easy it was to banter with him—they'd done it plenty. Steve was in charge of bringing Eddie any news or supplies when he was hiding, and whether they were walking around woods or stealing vans they had enough bickering to fill in any silence, but it still got to him sometimes. Darling. Big boy.

Eddie stopped staring at him, snorting. "I am." He grinned, dimples and all. Steve had to look away because—his dimples. He laughed, shaking his head and averting his eyes. "I always made Gareth and Jeff almost piss themselves."

"Because Gareth and Jeff are such tough audiences, huh? They barely worship the ground you walk on," Steve offered back with enough sarcasm to make Max proud.

Eddie lifted his arm just to shake a finger in Steve's face. "Nuh huh. You're confusing them with Dustin and Mike."

"God! How could I."

"It's okay, Stevie, you'll get the hang of who my admirers are in no time." Eddie laughed curtly. "They'll be the only handful of people trying to convince the whole town not to burn me with pitchforks when I get outta here."

The image of people crowding outside the hospital doors with pitchforks, yelling 'kill the freak!' among other things made any sort of glee leave Steve's face, and he looked back at Eddie with creased eyebrows. "No one's gonna burn you." Never gonna happen. I won't let it happen. Didn't do what I did to let some human lay a finger on you. Steve swallowed the anger, that familiar sickening feeling he was growing more and more accustomed to these past days, and breathed through it before it took over him. "Stop talking shit, Munson."

"Oops. 'Munson'. Sorry, I won't talk of my haters."

"'s not funny."

"Hey—" Eddie's tone brought Steve's eyes up to his. They looked open, and so earnest that Steve's anger evaporated into thin air. "I know there are people who don't like me, but I know—" he bit his lip, then tried again. "I'm used to their looks, and judgment, and shit. I'm not gonna let it get to me. I know Hopper and Powell are working to make stuff go away."

Steve breathed another moment, then nodded. "Yeah." Things will be fine. He said those words to himself every day and night, even if he barely believed in them.

Eddie nodded back with a tight-lipped smile. "And..." his tone said here it comes. Steve braced himself for the terrible joke. "Even if these people thought they were clever enough to do something to me... they've got nothing on my crew."

It was the smugness in his lips that made Steve feel that tingle in his nape. He was part of Eddie's crew. Somehow in the last few weeks, Steve went from being jealous of him, a mere stranger, to help him escape the law and, later, helping save the city with him. Now he visited him daily. Watched him when he slept, sometimes. Prayed to the darkness he'd be okay, and tried running away from his best friend's inquisitive eyes every time she asked 'are you okay, Steve?' because it sounded a lot like 'where did your mind go to, Steve' and his mind only went to one place now. He shook his head. "Is that right?" Is your crew really that badass?

"You fucking bet it is," Eddie smiled wider. Steve's stomach fluttered at the sight—he loved Eddie smiling so much it made him sick. "My crew's got only Level Twenty bad motherfuckers. And one of 'em is, like, thirteen! D'you know how sick that is?" Eddie blew raspberries. "What are they gonna do against the wrath of Erica Sinclair?"

That made Steve laugh out loud. The idea of anyone having the upper hand against the youngest Sinclair was funnier than anything on TV. "Alright, you've got a point. They have nothing against your crew."

"Damn right they don't," Eddie nodded.

"They don't what?" Wayne's voice asked from the door.

Both Eddie and Steve turned their heads to him, equally surprised by his presence. Steve wondered how long he'd been there, watching their weird exchange.

From Wayne's corner of the mouth smile, he was amused by their antics. Steve knew the rest of the corridor probably weren't as happy with their loud laughter and loud voices, but it seemed to amuse Wayne seeing his kid smile that much.

"This town has nothing on me and my friends," Eddie repeated.

Wayne entered the room nodding and extended one of the two cups in his hands towards Steve, who accepted it with a smile and a thankful nod. "I mean. If everything you kids told me is true, then..." He drifted off, then snickered behind his cup. "Yeah. Sounds about right."

Wayne was way calmer about learning everything Hopper and Joyce had to tell him than any other parent probably would.

Steve lingered in the room a little while longer, happy to be there to witness Wayne and Eddie's awkwardly-paced, yet adorable conversation. They were a lot similar, and Steve could see where Eddie got his dry and quick sense of humor from.

Plus—it was nice seeing a parent who cared.

All Steve got when he showed up bruised and battered in his house was scorn and disdain from both parties.

It was fine.

Steve had his crew, and Eddie was spot-on about one thing: They were a goddamn good crew.

[marvelsunderoos]

Worlds apart - Max Verstappen (NSFW)

AN: this could potentially be a three part fic, depending on how motivated I am to write lol. Yesterday’s podium made me feel things so I had to put somethings into words. I have exams and this was literally written when I should be studying, whoops

Summary: being Max Verstappen’s girlfriend while also having your own busy life wasn’t always easy. Luckily, technology was your best friend.

Word count: 1375

Warnings: smut!!!! 18+, bad writing, swearing, not proofread whatsoever

Mexican GP

Having exams during race week was never fun, especially not with your boyfriend hoping to extend his lead over Lewis Hamilton in the world championship. Between the triple header and your exams, you knew you wouldn’t be able to see Max until the Qatar race. Luckily for the both of you, modern technology made it easier to keep in touch and you always made sure to wish him luck before any session. And of course, you were there to comfort him when qualifying didn’t exactly go as he had hoped. And what better way to cheer him up than sending a few nsfw texts, wearing his favorite lingerie.

“cheer up champ, still lots to play for” your text read, attaching a photo of yourself posing in the mirror. Three dots appeared almost immediately, and you soon received a couple of texts. 

“fuck”

“I miss you”

“I’ll make you proud tomorrow”

“so pretty baby”

You were glad that your texts had the desired effect, giggling to yourself as you put your phone away to get ready for bed knowing there was a sexually frustrated Max on the other side of the world. The next morning, some texts from Max confirmed what you were thinking, though he mostly came across as a kid who was denied candy in the store. 

“I hate time zones”

“sleeping without me :((“

Max was never a clingy type, but there were moments like these when he hadn’t seen you in almost a week and knew he wouldn’t see you for two more, where his sappy side came to light. And you didn’t mind one bit, missing him just as much as he missed you. 

As the day passed by, you became more anxious towards the start of the race. You knew Max was extremely good at what he does, but it never failed to bring you to a state of anxiety, tapping your foot nervously when the lights at the circuit started counting down the start. And you’d be lying if you said it wasn’t an amazing start, Max taking over both Mercedes’ drivers in the first corner by going round the outside and braking late.

“that start was fucking sexy”

You had developed quite a habit to text him whenever you weren’t at his races, just to let him know after the race that you had watched the race and supported him. Your texts usually along the lines of him being the sexiest driver on the grid, cheering him on when he overtakes Hamilton or when the team managed to have an amazing pitstop. Max had told you once that he found it amusing to read your thoughts during a race, so the habit never died. 

“congratulations baby!!!!!”

“knew you would win”

“fuck you look so good on the top step of that podium”

“wish I was there to help you celebrate”

“god, what I would do to you right now”

“would drop to my knees in an instant for you baby”

To say Max left you a little frustrated would be an understatement, not replying to your texts for several hours due to all the duties that came along with his win. Just as you were checking his texts, the little delivered at the bottom had changed to read and the three dots appeared.

“can’t say stuff like that when you’re halfway across the world schatje”

Your cheeks heating up immediately as you read the Dutch term of affection, which he knew had an effect on you instantly.

“just speaking my mind” you replied.

“that’s a good girl”

“what are you wearing?”

You quickly attached a photo of yourself in a white lingerie body, along with a text about how you’re wearing innocent white.

“nothing innocent about you babe, probably dying to suck my dick aren’t you?

“fuck yes”

“yes what?”

“yes, daddy”

At this text, your phone lit up with an incoming Facetime call. You answered the call, wearing an open bathrobe over your white lingerie set, Max still in jeans and a t-shirt. As the line connected, Max was quick to speak up.

“you’re really trying to drive me crazy, aren’t you? Lose the bathrobe hun.” You smiled at him as you placed your phone on your bed, propped up against some pillows to make sure Max could see your whole body, kneeling on the bed. You slowly took of the bathrobe, not breaking eye contact as you did so. 

You spoke up once you were left in your white lingerie alone. “Could say the same thing to you babe, looking so good and still fully clothed.”

Max took the hint, taking of his t-shirt instantly and already unbuckling his belt. Within a second he was only in his boxers, and though the screen of your phone didn’t do it justice, his body never failed to amaze you and you let out a quiet sigh at the sight of your boyfriend. Max seemed to share these feelings, speaking up while you were still lost in your thoughts.

“You look pretty like this.” He mused. “But I need you to spread your legs a little bit more, wanna see my pretty pussy.”

You repositioned yourself, spreading your legs while your hands found your boobs, caressing over them and giving your nipples a squeeze. Max groaned to himself when he saw you touching your own body, wishing it would be him as he palmed himself through his boxers. 

“Wish it were your hands all over my body, you always make me feel so good.” You spoke as your finger slowly circled your clothed clit.  

Max groaned at your words. “Me too baby, wanna make you feel so good. Miss your body so much.” He spoke, taking his hard dick in his hand and pumping it up and down.

The words he spoke went straight to your core, a rush going through your whole body as you unclipped the upper part of your lingerie and slid the whole set down your legs leaving Max to stare at his very naked, very beautiful girlfriend. Your fingers collecting some of the wetness that had formed and spreading it across your clit, circling it once more leaving out a breathy sigh. You pushed two fingers inside you, your thumb finding your clit as you repeatedly spoke your boyfriend’s name, your head falling behind you as your eyes closed. Max pumped his dick faster at the sight of you, wishing it was his head between your thighs making you feel so good until you could no longer walk. 

“eyes on me baby.” Max spoke as he saw you struggling to keep your eyes open and maintain eye contact at the intense pleasure you were feeling. The sight of him pumping his own dick made you feel aroused even more and you imagined your lips wrapped around his pretty cock, with his hands tangling in your hair begging for more. 

“Wish I could have your cock inside me Max. Wanna ride you so bad.” The words you spoke caused Max to feel his orgasm approaching.

“Me too baby, wanna have you ride me. Wanna flip you over and make you feel so good. God I would do anything you want to you.”

His words and your fingers caused your orgasm to approach, the familiar knot in your stomach building up, waiting to be released and get rid of all the tension.

“I’m gonna cum Max. Please.”

“Cum for me baby.” As he felt his own release approaching, pumping his dick up and down to the sight of you falling apart in front of him, which sent him over the edge. He watched you come down from your high while he cleaned himself up, noticing your sly smile present on your face.

The two of you looked at each other for a moment, just enjoying each other’s virtual presence. A comfortable silence fell upon the two of you, before the conversation continued about your exams, his race until you could no longer keep your eyes open, the time difference making it well pas 1 AM in your Monaco apartment. Your eyes occasionally falling closed until Max’ voice drowned out until you were fully asleep, the last thing you heard was him wishing you goodnight. 

Let me know if you want me to do three parts, I’ll probably do one per each race for the triple header obviously reuniting in Qatar!

[jerrienelock]

Without You - Sadie Sink

Takes place after the filming of Stranger Things Season 3

Exhausted.

Sadie is exhausted from all her sleepless nights. The sleep she longs for, no longer around, not since you left. She misses your presence, your hugs, your delicate words, your gentle touches. She just wants to be in your arms relishing in your radiant warmth, feeling your loving kisses to the back of her head.

She just wishes you had told her how you were feeling before that fateful day happened.

Splashes of water coat her face, trying to wake herself up, and cleanse her mind of you so she is prepared for her first interview since you left. Sadie shuts the water off, her hands now firmly on the sink. Her gaze locks with her reflection. Her once smooth skin, disturbed with protruding deep purple bags under her broken teal eyes. Her lips automatically dropping into a deep miserable frown, she finds no need for her mouth to break away from that position for it was practically engraved into her skin.

But soon she will have to tear it out and upturn the frown in a mask of joy and perfection. She doesn't want to do that, she just wants to go home and cry into one of your hoodies and not come out for days on end or until filming starts up again.

She should be strong, but without you there it feels like her whole world is slowly falling apart, and just a gentle push can send it tumbling down. You were her rock, her saviour, her superhero that fends off all the bad guys for her.

But now that you're gone, she has to do that all alone.

An interview without you at her side feels so daunting, she won't be able to clutch onto your hands when she feels a slight bit of nerves. She won't be able to rely on you to get through the merciless questions that will only be worse, now that you're gone.

"Sades?" A soft voice calls from behind the bathroom door. Sadie quickly stands up straight and regains her composure just as the door opens to reveal Millie. "Oh Sades," The Fifteen-year-old says sympathetically opening her arms for the redhead.

Sadie instantly buries herself into the younger girl. "I miss her." She mutters into Millie's shoulder.

"I miss her too."

Millie tightens the hug and she stands there holding Sadie with all her might, afraid that if she were to let go the older girl will break down and shatter right in front of her. But she could feel Sadie begin to sob and heave in her arms. "It's okay," Millie hushes the girl, her one hand rubbing Sadie's back delicately.

After a few more minutes Sadie tears away brushing away her running tears, "I got given the camera she would do her diary entries on. Could we maybe watch it later, at my house with the boys?"

Millie nods, "We would love to do that. Now come Sades, we have to go, it's going to start soon."

The interview was the longest two hours of Sadie's life, she wanted to hide away from all the questions and sympathetic looks she had been given throughout. Noah had noticed her discomfort and had his hand placed on hers comforting the hurting redhead all throughout. The rest of the cast had helped with the questions she had found quite hard to answer, the one's involving you, and how she was feeling since your passing.

But now she sits in her living room cuddled into Millie, with your stuffed dog, watching as the boys try to hook up your old camera, all arguing as they figure out what cable goes where. This earns a small smile from Sadie.

Soon the boys get the camera working and instantly your bright cheery face pops up on the TV. Sadie sits up a little straighter at the sight of you, her heart both racing and aching at the same time. Millie pulls the girl closer to her, in a way of further comforting her but also to make room for Caleb who wanted to sit next to the pair while the others sat on the ground in front of the couch.

"Hello!" Your voice exclaims through the speakers. "Welcome to Diary Entry One! I am as you can see on the set of Stranger Things Season Two!" The camera flicks around showing the bustling set before flicking back around.

The cast knew exactly when this first took place, the first day of filming just after they had all met Sadie.

"We got a new girl here as well, her name is Sadie Sink." You gush into the camera, a pink hue evident on your cheeks. "She's really nice... and pretty." You murmur the last part looking off to the side. "Anyways! Let's go see her!" You quickly rush off to where you had been looking at, camera in tow and stop at a then fifteen-year-old Sadie, "Hello bloody tampon, say hi to the camera!"

Everyone laughs, including Sadie who remembers that exact moment.

"What did you just call me?" Sadie questions in disbelief and You laugh, "You heard me." Before Sadie could say anything else, you quickly leave and shut the camera off.

"Hello!" You shout  with Finn alongside you, "This is, drum roll please Wolf boy," Finn drums his hands on his lap, "Diary Entry Two!" You and Finn cheer loudly capturing the attention of some of the crew members behind you. They immediately hush you both as they film a scene involving Sadie and Caleb. You and Finn quietly apologise before making your way over to Dacre who speaks with Natalia and Joe.

"Dacre!" Finn calls out causing the man to stop and turn to them, a bright smile on his face.

"Hello Lacey, Mike. What can I do for you?"

"Can you answer some-" Finn begins but you cut him off abruptly

"Is Sadie single?"

Finn turns to you and the camera wide-eyed. Dacre raises a brow, throwing a quick glance over to Natalia and Joe. "I don't know? Why, are you interested?"

Your voice sounds panicked from behind the camera, "No! I mean, Finn is."

"Y/n!" Finn shouts, "I don't!" He quickly grabs the camera from your grip and turns it to face a laughing you before cutting the feed.

"Oh, so that's how that rumour sprouted. You look so scared," Sadie giggles and Finn sends her a mocking glare.

"I didn't know she was going to say that okay?" He chuckles.

The next video rolls on and it shows both Sadie and you.

You set the camera down in front of Sadie who was busy getting her hair done. She eyes the camera cautiously as the stylist ducks out the way slightly. "This is Diary Entry number three... I think," You sit down on a chair next to her, your stylist moving in to prep your hair. "We are almost finished filming!" You smile and look over to Sadie who does a quick glance at you. "Anyways, it's time."

"Time for what?" Sadie quiers

"Time for the questions silly," You laugh tilting your head back as your stylist  combs your hair. "First question, how has your time on set been?"

"It's been great! Everyone is amazing!"

"Everyone? You sure you don't mean just me?"

Sadie giggles, "Sure."

A few more questions were asked, them mainly being about how she has felt about her time acting and being forced in a room with you and the others. She had opened up slightly about how she felt kind of isolated in the beginning due to everyone already knowing each other until You and Millie kindly took her under your wing.

"Okay last question, do you have eyes for anyone?" You smirk and Sadie goes silent.

"No comment," You gasp.

"What! Sadelyn Sinkhole does have eyes on someone," You lean forward much to your stylests dismay as she pulls you back. "Who is it?"

Once again Sadie replies, "No comment." and you huff.

"I will get it out of you. It may not be today, but it will happen someday."

Sadie's cheeks turn pink and she can't help but hide her smile in your stuffed teddy, reminiscing about how she had ended up spilling her feelings to you not even a day later. To her surprise back then you had reciprocated her feelings and even managed to steal her first kiss, she doing the same to you.

The next video rolls on with you beaming once again in the camera.

"Hello!" You exclaim once again, in the background was the cast in their season two attire watching you with smiles. "This is Diary Entry number four, we have now finished the infamous season two!" The group breaks out into cheers and a round of applause, and you place the camera down on a stand so that everyone was in the frame and move back to go sit next to Sadie, pushing Finn out of the way in the process.

"I can't believe you couldn't tell she liked you!" Finn exclaims gesturing to the action you had pulled. "Your girlfriend literally pushed me out of my seat," He laughs making Sadie snigger.

"So Caleb Mclaughlin." You start, capturing the young boy's attention, "How was it like to kiss the gorgeous Max Mayfield, the infamous MadMax," You tease and the boy bows his head in embarrassment, Everyone laughs and so do you but it was cut short as you began to cough. "You okay Y/n?" Sadie questions and you nod while Sadie not so sneakily brings her hand into yours.

"Wait!" Millie jumps in disbelief her eyes trained at the holding hands, "Were you two a couple then?" She flickers her gaze over to Sadie who turns as red as her hair, "Oh my God! We thought you two got together just before Season Three." Millie smiles slapping Sadie's leg jokingly, "You dirty dogs!"

The entry's continue, this time mostly showing you and Sadie alone. Most of the time, your hands were wrapped around her waist while she holds the camera up at you two in various locations.

"First date!" Sadie exclaims looking lovingly over at you.

*

"Can you see me?" You question trying to look over into the camera to see if you were in the frame- you in fact were not.

* "Sades!" You call out for her from her living room. "I got you something!" The camera flicks down to a necklace with a small pendant in your hand.

While that video shows, Sadie herself glances down at the necklace you had given her and fiddles with it, her heart fluttering in her chest.

*

"Do you think they'll freak out when we tell them?" Sadie questions fiddling with your hand as the camera shows you both walking back onto the set for a reading. You nod, "Oh, most definitely." The camera cuts and then turns back onto an unknowing Millie waiting for you both at the entrance to the reading.

"Y/n! Sadie!- Woah." Millie's eyes go wide as she spots your hands, "Are you two?" She gestures between the both of you. Sadie confirms with a kiss of your cheek causing her to squeal and run in to tell everyone.

* "Hello! And we're back! Season Three of Stranger Things, it's your favourite character Aunt Helga speaking." You laugh at your own words, "I'm joking, it's the best character out of the show, Dustins' sister Lacey. Today we are as usual on our first day back at filming." You cheer, "This is Diary Entry number five."

"Y/n! Where are you?" Dacre calls out in the background, "You have to go get pepper-sprayed in the face!" You widen your eyes slightly, and Dacre appears behind you, "It's just water don't worry."

The camera cuts but then is turned back on to show a smiling Dacre, he flips the camera around and it shows you being dunked in the Henderson's kitchen sink by Caleb and Sadie. "I'm drowning!" You yell out gasping for breaths. "I'd rather you drown than go blind, Lacey," Sadie comments in Max's character. Caleb goes to turn off the tap but instead accidentally turns it on full speed, the water hitting you right in the mouth making you choke and develop a coughing fit. "I didn't mean to literally drown her!" Sadie yells and Caleb throws his hand up defensively, "My hands slipped."

That scene was a blooper itself but yet it was still kept in the actual show.

Many more diary entries ended up being full of bloopers, you hanging with Sadie and sometimes the rest of the crew until it started to change.

There you stand in front of the camera, your hands clutching your chest tightly, "My chest hurts." You croak out, tears swelling in your eyes from the pain.

The cast visibly sit a little straighter at the sight of you.

You stand there for a few more seconds just holding onto your chest before finally you drop your hands down and stand straighter. You furrow your brows, "It's gone. I don't know what it is but it's been happening a lot lately." You announce but quickly shrug it off as you hear your name being called. You grab onto the camera and run out where Sadie is standing waiting for you with a bright white smile. You grab onto your girlfriend's hand and you walk off to your next scene.

Another video rolls on this time showing you setting the camera down in a position so that it showed the set you were on. You are then seen dashing back onto set and getting onto your starting position with Gaten at your side. The video goes on as normal with the familiar star court scene and then all the way to the end, with Dacre having moved it for you to get the right angles where you stand near a casted officer, signalling the end of the filming process.

"Cut," The director yells and cheers are heard all around. You jump up and hug the nearest person to you, this being Sadie and enrapturing her into a joyful kiss before moving on to everyone else.

The mood is noticeably ecstatic and everyone is busy cleaning up, with you having a quick word with Sadie before going to head for your still recording camera, shouting a 'Shut up' to Caleb who had mocked what you said to your girlfriend. Your smile is bright and inviting until it drops to a stone cold expression.

And then you were seen clutching onto your chest, feet staggering and skin paling before dropping to the floor.

"Y/n!" Gaten screams hurtling over to you, just in time to catch you. You weren't moving and the camera shows it, it shows everything happening at that exact moment. It shows Gatens terrified face as he shakes you, trying to wake you up. It shows crew members flying over to you in a hurry. It shows your girlfriend and the others staring at you horrified and worried.

"Someone call an ambulance!" The director yells shoving past all crew members who were just crowded around you. Immediately chest compressions were started.

"Oh God," Caleb murmurs his teary eyes entranced on the TV. He wants to look away but he can't.

Sadie sniffles, her heart aching tremendously at the screen.

Millie and Finn hold a sobbing Sadie in the far corner of the screen, while Noah is seen dashing for the camera and turning it off.

They thought it was the end but another clip rolls and a bloodshot eyed Sadie Sink appears in one of your hoodies, holding your stuffed dog close to her chest. She was in your dressing room, it was known by the pictures you had placed on the walls of your family and the cast behind Sadie.

"Hi Y/n," Sadie croaks out, voice breaking instantly. She can't speak, her throat hurts and her tears just flow out coating your stuffed animal with her tears. "I miss you. It's only been a few hours since you left us, but I miss you so much." She brings your hoodie to wipe away a few of her tears, "I just want to say I love you."

Sadie can't look at the video anymore, her heart aching in great amounts in her chest, her bottom lip quivering noticeably. She turns and shoves her head directly into a saddened Millie who immediately takes her into her arms. Sadie wishes it was you instead.

She can still hear her own shattering voice in the video, each word breaking and every sentence ending with a cry. A cry of mourning. A cry for you. A cry for you to just come back and tell her you're not going anywhere. A cry for her broken heart.

Sobs wrack Sadie's body and a loud cry exits her making the crying cast members cast looks of sorrow, heartbreak and pain at her.

The video proceeds and Sadie is now still sat in your chair, this time not saying anything. Your stuff dog is latched to her chest, her chin sitting on top of the toy while she runs little patterns on her knee- something you would do to her when you felt nervous in interviews or big events. And then the door quietly opens and Sadie is seen turning back abruptly, her head shaking furiously.

"No, no, no, no," She sobs as your dad steps foot into the trailer there to retrieve your stuff. "Please can I keep the camera, please!" Your dad shakes his head sadly, tears in his own eyes as he reaches down to grab hold of the device.

"Please!" Sadie begs, "I can't live without her. I can't live without seeing her!"

The camera cuts off.

***

Masterlist; celebrities

[ironmandeficiency]

that’s not a shirt

pairing: marcus pike / reader

word count: 1584

summary: marcus comes home from work & finds the strangest thing in the laundry.

a/n: for @autumnleaves1991-blog and her wednesday writing challenge! writing domestic marcus pike is my therapy. unbeta’d and posted from mobile (honestly my laptop is becoming less convenient to post from even tho posting fic on tumblr is literally the reason i bought it last year)

three long, miserable weeks. that’s how long marcus has been out of town for a case that had him jetting all across the country, far away from you and your comfortable bed. he’s almost never at the apartment he pays rent for every month. most of his clothes and his favorite pillow are at your place, and the small quilt his grandmother sewed decades ago is draped over the back of your couch. in everything but name, he lived with you.

when he entered your apartment with his key, he took note of the fact you weren’t there and got set to cleaning up a bit. work leaves you exhausted more often than not and he doesn’t want to leave everything undone for you to worry about when you get home.

upon first glance, he could see the laundry was half done. a heaping load of clean clothes was in the hamper in front of the dryer and there were wet clothes in the open washer. when he looked further, there was also a load in the dryer, which told him that you stayed up late to get things done then fell asleep on the couch waiting for the dryer to finish. with a fond smile, he started the dryer for a few minutes to get wrinkles out of what’s in there. when those are done, he can get what’s in the hamper unwrinkled and hung and folded.

dinner was next on the to-do list. something nourishing to welcome you home after a long day but simple enough to do while catching up the clothes: spaghetti. there’s something about his mom’s recipe for the sauce that makes his spaghetti absolutely heavenly — your words, not his — and he can’t wait to see your reaction to having marcus home two days earlier than planned along with his best dish.

in the time it takes him to get the sauce cooking and the water boiling on the stove, the dryer announces that it’s finished with the first load. he hums as he folds the bath towels and dish rags without a care in the world, making the trip to stow them in the bathroom cabinet with a spring to his step.

checks the sauce for flavor and consistency before putting the second load of wrinkled clothes in the dryer, finding it needs just a smidge more rosemary before it can be left to simmer. picks another sprig from the plant you keep on the windowsill and cuts the leaves very fine before sprinkling them in with a flick of his wrist.

satisfied with his efforts, he turns back to the laundry. he dutifully empties the lint filter (you’re adamant on emptying it after every load and the trait passed onto him) before he begins to grab things to toss into the dryer. about a third of the way through the basket, his hand grabbed onto something weirdly solid and plump.

“mroww!”

last marcus checked, shirts don’t make noises like that. he tore his gaze from the inside of the dryer to the hamper to find a grey and white kitten lounging in the hamper. the little thing was nudging his hand with their head, clearly wanting the attention of the man slowly depleting its bed. he was perplexed. you didn’t have a cat when he was last here, but there was one seeming to be perfectly content in making itself at home in your apartment.

“where did you come from?” he knew the cat wasn’t going to give him a coherent answer but he felt the need to voice his confusion anyway. the first thing to do now: check to see if it’s male or female. it’s a female, looks to be about three months old and is perfectly content with being handled by marcus.

marcus can’t recall the last time he had a pet. with him being too busy with work, he never thought it would be fair to a pet to have an owner constantly gone. he didn’t have enough stability in the past with where he lived and didn’t want to only be a half ass pet parent. the past several months, however, have been nothing but stable. not counting the seldom out of town cases, he goes to work in the morning and comes home to you in the evening, and he rinses and repeats as needed. maybe this kitten is the perfect prelude to taking the next big step in his relationship with you.

for now though, marcus doesn’t let himself get carried away with his daydreams about living with you full time. he’s got laundry to finish and dinner to cook, and now he has a sous chef to accompany him. he holds the kitten to his chest, scratching her chin with a hooked finger and melting at the way she looks up as if telling him to keep going. “alright sweet girl, let’s finish up dinner.” a soft “mrrow!” is her reply and it makes marcus huff a quiet laugh.

dinner is completed with marcus using one less hand than normal, his sous chef being fabulous company. the few times he had to use both hands, his feline friend perched on his shoulder (which he thought was the best thing ever) and waited to be held again. however this cat got here, marcus didn’t know; the one thing he did know is that it wasn’t leaving anytime soon.

the front door was unlocked when you came home and you knew with absolute certainty that you locked it before you left. your walmart bags filled with cat supplies were immediately dropped to the hallway floor as you began to inspect your front door and the area around it. marcus taught you how to spot the basic signs of forced entry (like the protective sweetheart he is) and when none of them were there, you cautiously entered your apartment, mace in hand.

the adrenaline washed away when you spotted your loving boyfriend in the kitchen, gently bobbing his head along to whatever music he had playing. one hand was stirring a pot on the stove while the other was plenty preoccupied with the kitten. shit, you forgot to warn him about the kitten before he got home!

this was the last thing you thought would be here to greet you, but it was a very welcome sight; the feline was finicky and marcus wasn’t due home for another few days, a double whammy. “i see you’ve met the kitten.” you’re honestly just thankful he didn’t get upset about the little thing. neither of you have talked about pets or whatever your living situation is becoming, so the way he seems so taken with the kitten is a sign pointing in a great direction.

when he hears your voice, marcus visibly lights up. “hi honey!” the hand with the spoon immediately drops the wooden utensil into the pot and waves at you happily. “this is my sous chef, say hello, pasta!” he grabs one of her little paws and waves it at you before resuming his stirring, a beaming smile on his face.

did he really just name the cat pasta? and how in the world is she so calm with him right now?

you found the kitten, now known as pasta, huddled in a cardboard box beside a gas station dumpster headed home from work. she was mewling her little head off back there and you were lucky enough to hear her. taking her and her box, your list of things to do was thrown out the window as you rushed her to the vet. they cleaned her up real good and schedule her vaccinations, and sent you home with a list of supplies to buy and advice on how to take care of the little thing.

she was pissed at you after the vet trip. didn’t let you pet or hold her unless she was in the mood for it and if you tried to pick her up otherwise, she would scatter and give you a glare from a safe distance away. but here was marcus holding her like a baby, and the little brat was eating it up! to be fair, you were the same way with marcus when he was being affectionate so you didn’t completely blame her.

“why pasta?” you knew that cats were more likely than dogs to have strange names. you just didn’t think your boyfriend would be the type to give a cat a name like pasta. at that rate, you might as well name a dog goose and call it a day.

he smiles at the furball, giving her a few affectionate pets while he talks. “i was cooking spaghetti when i found her in the laundry hamper, and then i noticed a little spot right on her hip that looks like penne. i couldn’t choose between the two so i went for the middle ground. is that okay with you? or did she have another-”

“marcus, i love it.” and you really do; that sentimental dork just made you love the name pasta with nothing but two sentences. “and honestly, i’ve just been rotating between baby girl, squeak toy, and dumbass since i found her the day before yesterday.”

he scratches pasta under her chin as he laughs at the thought of you calling his sous chef a dumbass. “pasta is not a dumbass! you tell ‘em sweetheart, tell them how smart you are!”

“mroww!”

“see? she’ll be the next einstein.”

marcus pike taglist: @likeshootingstarsinthenightsky @obirain @themarcusmoreno @catsnkooks @torradoza @stardustsunrisekisses @darthadeline @max--phillips @jedi-mando @darklingveracruz @andysficrecs @pedropasscals @qhbr2013 @seasonschange-butpeopledont @greeneyedblondie44 @princess76179 @kaermorons @lv7867 @whovianwar @purelypascal

[phoenixtakaramono]

Character Design Thoughts for Shen Yuan & Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky in ‘The Untold Tale’

(This is a Follow Up to This Post)

Hello, @averydrearydiana! Loved reading through your tags! I’m excited that you’re excited! Since I’m also seeing comments on AO3 speculating about how our transmigrators are going to appear as in The Untold Tale, I might as well give my current thoughts and have this archived on tumblr for future reference.

A fun fact about TUT is that a lot of the imagery in the story is inspired by Chinese PVs and popular C-dramas and literature. Since TUT is conceived as a lovestory to SVSSS, one element that I’d wanted to incorporate is playful attempts at satirical genre deconstruction. With that comes with me playfully poking fun at some clichés or things I’ve noticed in Chinese works.

Shen Yuan’s Celestial Design

Before I talk about his mortal appearance, I have to give a lil context about his celestial design in the story. We already know what he looks like as the celestial fortuneteller in TUT’s cover art that I’ve already posted on tumblr. As everyone knows, I was heavily inspired by this Chinese PV:

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(TUT ch1 - Excerpt)

Among the things I’ve noticed are the fictional characters with white hair. We have a whole subculture of fans liking male character designs with white hair in anime and animation. Taking that a step further, they’ve even shown up in C-dramas, i.e. Teng She from Love and Redemption (technically more blond than platinum white, but shhhhh, just let me have this), Dong Hua Dijun from Eternal Love of Dream aka Three Lives Three Worlds, Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms (rest assured, I’m aware of the source material’s controversy, but let’s not get into that here), etc. One of the tags for TUT is Opposites Attract. Luo Binghe’s color coordination is aligned with black and red mostly. Now, visually speaking, what’s the opposite of that?

The yin yang symbol.

Fun fact, besides black vs white, green (SY) is the complementary color of red (LBG) on the color wheel. Now taking everything I’ve said, to take it even one step further, my thought process at the time was, “why not go the extra mile then and just have SY be albino? Within context of the Heavenly Realm, that character design makes sense.” TUT is me subtly riffing off what I can (for the good ol’ meta humor), but making the content come across as a legitimate story experience. As Protagonist A and Protagonist B, LBG and SY have to look visually striking together. With all that said, let’s talk about....

(In reference to the original tumblr post)

Shen Yuan (Mortal)

I’ll keep some elements of his albinism from his celestial form (light sensitivity and pale skin mostly), but SY’s mortal form is essentially SY pre-transmigration but within context of the xianxia genre.

For his appearance, let’s just keep this Author’s Note^ and TUT’s summary in the back of our brains. This is the fanvid I was originally inspired by for SY’s mortal appearance:

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(TUT Summary - Excerpt)

For what he wears, I’m currently feeling very heavily inspired by this PV:

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His mortal appearance wouldn’t be considered as “strange” or “otherworldly” compared to the “ethereal fairy-like beauty” SY retains in the Heavenly Realm, but as a side-effect of the 【PROTAGONIST’S HALO】 and his +20 CHARISMA stat, he would still be considered attractive to people even when he takes on a mortal appearance. (Mainly, I like the idea of Bing gē taking large shots of vinegar seeing SY turning heads no matter which appearance SY takes on, and Luo Binghe glaring at these “insects” for even “daring to lay their unworthy eyes on his fated person.” The thought of it just makes me laugh.)

What I mean by how SY’s mortal form being very much based on how SY appeared pre-transmigration but in the xianxia genre context, I mean he’ll have his dark hair (but longer), a “scholarly air” (as a nod to his novelist background), dark eyes, and even his glasses technically (the divine monocle mentioned in ch3, which is also a subtle nod to Sha Po Lang and a riff on men wearing monocles in other Chinese works andit’salsoforeshadowingbutshhhh).

(TUT ch3 - Excerpt)

Shen Yuan originally was an author in his forties pre-transmigration, so I like the idea him having a mature air about him in the Cultivation World as well. So for both our Protagonist B’s celestial and mortal appearances, the idea is that you can look at him and immediately recognize him as a protagonist of the danmei setting. My only two prerequisites are that his appearance screams “hello, I’m Protagonist B” and that he appears in “scholarly” attire.

Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky (Mortal)

Keeping in mind the original tumblr post where I wrote my thoughts on who I’m transmigrating him as, currently I’m thinking it’s a combination of these two PVs for his mortal form:

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As a nod to him being a successful novelist, I wanted him to also appear scholarly. A scholarly crown prince, if you will. For his attire, imagine all the C-drama clothing you’ve seen actors wear in period dramas, and you already have a good idea already of the direction I’m heading down.

As the prince of the cannon fodder emperor, I very much like the idea of Airplane perhaps having a baby face and brown hair (as a small nod to fanon!SQH from SVSSS) but with a great body (a huge source of inspiration are clothing worn by Prince Yu and Prince Jing of the three princes from the C-drama Nirvana in Fire). Since Airplane will also be able to select his Character Creation stats like Shen Yuan had, one thing I’m fairly certain is that he will max out his CONSTITUTION—because “game logic” and not wanting to die. (For those who don’t know, the CON stat in tabletop RPs essentially indicates a person’s overall health, wellbeing, and vigor checks...so him maxing it out is equivalent to him being as invulnerable as a cockroach. A high CON means overall healthiness, which means your character probably is full of energy and vitality, can heal rapidly, and will rarely get sick—if ever. Low CON usually means a higher susceptibility to sickness and disease, wounds that fester and linger, and a general fatigue would haunt you, etc.) Like how SY zeroed in on his CHA, Airplane would have prioritized +20 CON (+5 modifier), especially knowing the fate that’d await him as a prince and the vicious environment that is expected for palace intrigue plots (the harem is a big factor, with concubines and consorts and even the empress sabotaging each other—just to win the favor of one man). Against poison or whatnot which is a cliché in palace intrigue plots, rather than relying on luck, you typically stand a better chance of passing the CON check if you have a high modifier aiding your checks. He’s basically become impervious to illnesses, most poisons (probably being able to spring back quickly), and is considered the healthiest prince in all the mortal imperial line. <- This could be taken both seriously and humorously simultaneously.

Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky (Deity/ Celestial)

For Xiàng Tiān Dà Fēijī’s “actual divine body” that is currently asleep and won’t be awakened until Airplane completes his mortal trial to “regain his cultivation powers,” the face should obviously be similar but, as Xiàng Tiān Dà Fēijī, he would appear regal and dignified as a god of this world:

Imagine something along the lines of mortal Airplane as the man on the right, celestial Shen Yuan in the center, and deity/ celestial Airplane as the man on the left. I envision a respectable appearance that would knock the air out of Mobei jūn and make him recognize Airplane despite any visual dissimilarities, and in a way we have the Four Beauties of China: Luo Binghe, Shen Yuan, Mobei jūn, and Xiàng Tiān Dà Fēijī.

I will say I currently have an idea of making Airplane have “golden” eyes in both his celestial and mortal forms. (Spoiler alert: in my notes, I’d written down to give Airplane yellow eyes as an Easter egg to Yanxi Palace, I believe, where there was an episode where someone of the imperial harem schemed against the empress and almost had the newborn baby killed because that and the yellow skin was an inauspicious omen. We later find out through a timely intervention that the true reason was due to jaundice—because of the diet/ pregnancy cravings she ate for a period of time which resulted in her son’s symptoms. With Airplane’s high CON and another trope I’m bringing in which’ll have to do with the Medicine King’s Valley/ Valley of the Medicine King, his yellow eyes are the only side effect that lingered from that traumatic event which would have killed him had they gotten away with their scheme. A lot of palace dramas have to do with the vicious harem plots, so this would potentially be one such example.) The reason being that this is the identifying marker for MBJ to clue in that they’re the same man he will have loved. And I think that has romantic potential.

Misc.

Now addressing the other tags, yes, essentially speaking, Mobei jūn might just very well experience his very own Big Damn Reunion trope that Bing mèi had suffered from SVSSS. Poor MBJ. He’s in a tumultuous ride of his own with him considering Airplane as his own fated person, hahaha. But for the Moshang dynamic, I want him—a demon—to find himself taken with Airplane in his mortal guise—and subsequently his true celestial appearance once he finds out. I very much also want SY to jokingly snark to his fellow transmigrator-and-writing-colleague about him getting in a relationship with his own “creation” (MBJ). And Airplane would jokingly snark back about SY “ruining his ‘first son’ as well” (LBG). If you can read between the lines of that, then kudos. I’m glad to hear you’re looking forward to the palace intrigue.

I’m especially very happy to hear you’re looking forward to the descriptions! I personally love worldbuilding in the stories I consume I’m an interior designer and realtor irl, so I’m glad my love of house details and landscape, etc shows in TUT. For the pseudohistorical vibe, in the Mortal Realm, I will be referencing the Forbidden City of our Chinese history and a couple popular period C-dramas. Take the settings of period C-dramas like Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace, Yanxi Palace, and Nirvana in Fire as examples for what will be awaiting us when we finally meet Airplane in his mortal body. In the Heavenly Realm, the descriptions will be heavily referencing shows that contain aesthetics such as those of Ashes of Love, Love and Redemption, and Eternal Dream.

Take this with a grain of salt just in case I change my mind later on, but in the chapter when we meet Airplane for the first time, I probably won’t say which character he is in the first scene. I’ll give plenty of hints in the first scene so that you all can make your guesses before the big reveal, but I’m fairly confident you all or most of you will be able to pinpoint who he is among the cannon fodders. We’ll meet the emperor, who is discussing with his sons about the matter regarding the approaching calamity that is Luo Binghe. Then when we transition into the second scene, we’ll know exactly which “royal prince OC” it is that our beloved Airplane has transmigrated into, hahaha.

(*Keep in mind, for everything written above, some details are subject to change. Nothing is official until it appears in the story, or I’ve actually drawn my ideas out and posted online to both my tumblr and twitter. These are just my current thoughts.)

A goal of mine for TUT is to make the story widely accessible, meaning it doesn’t matter if the reader is new to the SVSSS fandom or aren’t familiar with the Easter egg references or meta jokes or subtext or even the Chinese culture, or even if English is not their first language. Having knowledge beforehand might help someone notice more hidden details in TUT, yes, but it is a humble wish of this writer for her esteemed readers to be able to dive into the story and get the enjoyable feeling like they’re reading a genuine danmei novel. It really makes me smile whenever I hear feedback that I am able to emulate that experience.

Very exciting developments indeed are in store!

[spooky-z]

HIT

Maribat by @ozmav

Warnings: aggression and language

Almost 3K.

All Marinette could see was red, purple and yellow against pale skin.

It was mostly red, the edges already becoming purple and around a sick yellow.

She could blink, look away, try to think of something else, but the image was glued to her eyes.

The anger burning under the skin, the blood running hot in her veins, heart beating angrily against her ribs. She could feel the metallic taste of the cut that her teeth opened on her lip.

Marinette had never felt more hatred for anyone than she did at that moment.

She wanted to jump the jugular and pull out the trachea with her teeth.

The urge to kill.

"... you better get away from her." Damian growled. His face contorted with disgust.

“Who do you think you are to intrude on a family affair?!” Audrey Bourgeois stood, arrogant and pompous, glancing disdainfully at the Pack.

Chloe by her side, her eyes puffy, hair down shadowing her face and lips trembling from holding back the crying. The handprint on the pale cheek was obvious and clearly visible despite the hair to cover.

She didn't dare look at her friends. At the pack. The humiliation was a heavy feeling, seeming worse every moment she heard the shutter sound of a phone camera toward her.

Dupont would have something to talk about for weeks now.

"... who does he think he is?!" Kagami says. She was the only one who seemed coolly calm. "Who YOU think you are." There were more than sharp words coming out. There were canines becoming sharper by the moment and a lack of control going on.

Audrey seems offended by the girl’s words.

"Lower your tone, young lady." She replies. Her tone was threatening. “Do you know who you are talking to? I'm Audrey Bourgeois, one of the greatest designers of the world. Wife of the mayor of Paris. And I can end your family's life in two seconds.”

Adrien smiles mockingly at the woman's words. "I'd love to see that happen... Auntie."

The woman chokes offended at the nickname, but doesn't seem surprised by the boy's behavior.

She raises her eyebrow.

"When Gabriel told me that you were in your rebel phase and that you were taking Chloe the wrong way, I really didn't believe it." She says. "But I see this time he has some reason to warn me."

The Pack grunts at the man's name.

"I knew that piece of trash wouldn't be quiet." Max mutters venomously.

"It's time we put an end to this old man." Kim mumbles back.

Audrey seemed to tire of all the little show they were giving Dupont's students and grabbed Chloe's arm, trying to pull the girl into the limo parked on the sidewalk.

“Come on Chloe, you have to pack your bags. We leave for New York today.” She turns, ignoring the Pack.

Something pops in Marinette, because all she can do is slap Audrey's hand away from Chloe and put herself between them. She probably looked like a wild animal right now.

The stylist shrugs her arm, holding her injured hand. Red face in indignation.

"Don't touch her." Marinette says. "Or I'll be forced to do something you won't like."

“Oh? What are you going to do? Tell your parents? You're nobody, little girl.” Audrey laughs sarcastically. “Chloe, let's go. Now."

"Nette, please, I don't want you to get in trouble." Chloe whispers, the pain was clear in the words.

The sound that comes from Marinette's chest is animalistic. The sound made the Pack shudder with the force and the dark feeling dripping into it.

Marinette would not let Chloe be taken. Not by Audrey, at least.

She doesn't look away from the adult Bourgeois before firing commands at the Pack.

"Damian, call Richard." The boy is quick to pick up the phone. “Adrien, call Clark and Lois. Let them know they can release that story in the newspaper.” The blonde doesn't even blink at the command. “Kim, Max and Luka, take Chloe to my house and don't let her out of sight.” Max and Kim surround Chloe and she gets carried away.

"Are you sure you want me to go, Mari?" Luka asks quietly, hesitating to leave. He knew that Damian and Adrien were not good at being Marinette's conscience in difficult situations. "I can stay and Adrien go with Chloe."

Marinette waves denying it. She looks at him just fast enough to calm him down before turning her attention back to Audrey.

“Kagami will stay with me and can keep me from doing something extreme.” Responds. "Chloe will need you more now."

“Alright, bu-”

"I'll call if I need support." Kagami is quick to answer him.

Luka hesitates for two more seconds before running after the other three who were waiting in the car with Auguste (aka Gorilla).

When only Damian, Marinette, Adrien and Kagami were left with Audrey (besides the audience watching), Marinette calmed down. The heated air was suddenly getting cold.

She was ready to attack.

“Do you really think hiding Chloe from me is going to work? I am her mother! The first lady! I run this town!” Audrey starts to scream. "Nothing you do will stop me from taking my daughter away from this... filthy relationship going on here."

Kagami steps forward wanting to attack the woman, but Adrien holds her hand and she stops, coming back to herself.

Damian had hung up the phone signaling an "OK" with his fingers.

"How about you shut up?" He says. “Keep talking will only make your situation worse.”

“Make my situation worse? What the hell are you talking about?!”

"He's talking about you getting arrested." Marinette replies without emotion. "Assault on a minor, threats, conspiracy with another adult to kidnap a child... There is a long list of your crimes."

Audrey looks attacked by Marinette's words, but also snorts in confusion.

“Conspiracy to kidnap a child?!” She grits her teeth. “Look at me and tell me if I look like someone who kidnaps someone! She is my daughter and I have the right to take her wherever I want when I want.”

Adrien laughs cynically at the woman.

"Not. You don't have.” He says. "Do you remember signing a document giving Chloe full custody to the mayor after signing the divorce a few months ago?"

"How-"

“Yeah, we know you are no longer the mayor's wife and you have no right to do what you did. If you left the country with Chloe without André's written permission, it would become a kidnapping.” Kagami cuts her off.

“She's my daughter!” Audrey stomps her foot.

"No, she is not. You gave up that right and now you hit her.” Damian growls. "You're lucky that murder is against the law, because otherwise..." He whispers deadly, but she can hear.

Audrey turns pale at the boy's words. Seeming to notice for the first time that the four teenagers had equal expressions of hate.

She opened her mouth to say something more, but the sound of police car sirens interrupted her and soon Dick was getting out of the car with Roger.

"Good afternoon." The Parisian cop politely greets, Dick nods without saying anything. “We received a complaint of public disorder and aggression against a minor.”

Audrey, knowing she would be in trouble, tries to get out of the situation by playing the victim.

"Officers, please, those brats went crazy and kidnapped my daughter!" There was a fake tear running down her cheek.

"What?!" Damian complains indignantly. "This crazy woman who was trying to kidnap one of us!"

Roger seemed frankly unsure of what to do, while Dick was watching the scene analytically. He was probably choosing the best way to end Audrey Bourgeois in front of everyone.

"What? No! You who kidnapped my Chloe and assaulted me!” She pointed her finger theatrically. “They threatened me, officer! Me! The first lady!”

"Madam, please." Roger takes Audrey by the shoulders and the woman makes an expression of disgust at the gesture. “Let's calm down. This confusion is attracting a much bigger audience than before.”

Only then does Audrey seem to notice that not only did Dupont's students watch (and film), but pedestrians passing by stopped to watch the confusion.

A TVi car getting closer and closer to guarantee the gossip of the day.

"Great! So, everyone learns about the sordid behavior that this school promotes towards students and how it corrupted my daughter!”

“Audrey Bourgeois-“ Marinette takes a step forward, looking at the woman and shaking her head. "Sorry! I meant Audrey Bisset.” She winks conspiratorially with the stylist's offended expression. "Here are your options."

She holds up a finger to signal "1" and begins, a soft voice.

"The first option is for you to leave now, without making another scene and we will not report you to these kind officers here."

The middle finger raises following the index finger. The "2".

"The second is that you continue and we are obliged to report you."

The ring finger raises to "3".

"Or I can just release very intimate files of yours on the internet and in the press, if you insist." Marinette lowers her arm and crosses the two behind her back, in a timid gesture. “Look, I knew you had some skeletons in the closet, but wow! What we found is enough to buy the entire IKEA and there is still no closet to store the bones.”

Roger, despite not appearing to like what Marinette was talking about, was curious about what she knew.

He was never a fan of Audrey Bourgeois for the way the woman treated her husband and daughter. Roger hated it every time Sabrina came home crying because Chloe had been particularly mean to her due to Audrey's influence.

The woman forced herself to be as unpleasant as possible and did not seem to have a drop of love in her heart.

Just greed and status.

“What.” Audrey babbles.

"Evan Halle." Kagami throws the name in the air, relaxed.

Audrey gets two shades paler. "How do you-"

"Laurence Green." Adrien continues.

The woman's skin changes to a greenish tone.

"Alright! I'm leaving!" She screams. "But you have to promise that the press will not know those names!"

"Deal!" Marinette waves happily. A sweet, very sweet smile, on the lips.

Audrey puts the sunglasses back on her face, composing herself. She pretends not to notice the press filming everything live for viewers at home and turns to get into the limo.

"Odette Han." Dick finally speaks and with that Audrey seems ready to run at any moment. “This is part of some of the names listed in the files. You will have to accompany us to the police station.”

He steps in front of her, preventing Audrey from trying to escape. Roger followed his movement and took the stylist by the arm.

“It will be good if you collaborate with us. Otherwise, we will be forced to handcuff you in front of everyone.” He says when Audrey tries to break free.

She looks at Marinette, anger in her expression and her eyes are wet with humiliation.

"You said you wouldn't let anyone know!" She rages at Marinette, losing her composure for the first time.

She struggles in Roger's grip, wanting to move forward on Marinette, but the man has an iron grip on the woman's arm and she stops.

Damian smirks. A dangerous look.

"She said she wouldn't release it in the press or on the internet." He answers. "And I believe that she is fulfilling the agreement, since the police are not part of the press."

Dick takes the opportunity to put the handcuffs on Audrey's wrists. “And she won't be the one to tell the press. It will be me.”

When Audrey starts struggling again trying to break free, Roger drags her into the police car. Leaving Dick with the teenagers.

“Thank you so much for your help, Richard. She wouldn't give up on Chloe if you hadn't arrived.” Marinette sighs a smile.

Dick raises an eyebrow, seeming not at all convinced by the false sincerity in the girl's words. He knew she could be quite manipulative when needed.

"You're welcome." He answers. “We were lucky to have obtained these files before she arrived in Paris. Chloe will be safe now.”

Kagami snorts. "What are you talking about? Chloe was always safe. Audrey only touched her because that was the plan.”

"Yes! And everything came out the way we planned!” Adrien claps the hands, a huge smile on his face.

"The slap was much stronger than imagined, but it gave the effect we wanted." Damian nods sharply. "The anger I felt when I saw the mark was genuine."

Dick's eyes widen in surprise.

"Wait, did you know this was going to happen?"

“Duh. Of course." Marinette replies. “Appearing at school all together and happy. We knew there would be gossip, especially nasty gossip from our class.” She rolls her eyes. "So, we took advantage of that knowing that Lila wouldn't be quiet and we let her get closer to Gabriel."

“But how were you sure he was going to talk to Audrey? I thought they didn't get along.”

"Because Gabriel likes to be in control." Kagami speaks. “He doesn't like to be told. Especially if the people giving the order are children.”

“My father wants to isolate me. If I lose all my friends, he will be able to regain control over me as before.”

"So, Gabriel, thinking that Audrey would take Chloe away from us, warns the woman about an "orgy" involving only daughter she has and she comes running to save her." Damian continues.

“But you didn't need evidence of the crimes she committed to get her away from Chloe. She had no right, so she would be arrested even if you didn't do anything.” Dick crosses his arms. "So why all this staging?"

Marinette smiles, a dark mood shining in the blueberry eyes.

"Because that way we send a message to everyone, especially Gabriel."

"And what message would that be?" Dick questions.

"Never mess with the Pack."

The “otherwise” was left unsaid, but the meaning was clear.

EXTRA 1:

"I didn't know you could be such a good actress, Apis." Kim praises Chloe, eyes glued to the news channel.

The girl snorts. "I am good at everything."

Max jumps on the couch, turning up the sound of the TV when a footage (probably from a cell phone, if judged by the image quality), particularly good of Chloe's marked face, appeared on the screen.

"Fuck." He swears in wonder. "It looks a lot worse on TV."

Luka sits next to the three and places the ice pack gently on Chloe's face, who moans gratefully.

That hurt like hell.

"I didn't think Audrey would be that strong." Luka comments. "Your face will be swollen for a few days, Apis."

"All for the greater good." She sighs.

They would have no more to worry about for a while.

EXTRA 2:

"What the hell was this all about?" Ivan grumbles.

“Why was Chloe's mother arrested? Anybody know?" Rose asks.

Alix swallows a sigh when she sees Nadja Chamack announce that Audrey Bisset has been arrested for promoting slave labor in her clothing line, bribery and blackmail.

"Guys, come see this!" She calls.

They were all gathered on Juleka's boat (thinking that Chloe had gone there with Luka) wanting to know what it was all about in front of the school.

"Damn it. The mayor's wife is hardcore." Nino whistles in surprise.

"It looks like they're not together anymore." Alya says. Eyes glued to the cell phone. “The mayor filed for divorce five months ago and took custody of Chloe. It looked like she wanted to take Chloe to New York without his permission and then the police were called.”

"But how did he know that?" Nathaniel asks. "That she was trying to get Chloe out of Paris?"

"Hm... It says here that 'friends concerned about the physical and emotional integrity of the mayor's daughter, called the police and made the report'." Juleka reads aloud.

"They?" Sabrina asks.

"They." Alya waves.

Lila couldn't help thinking that Marinette's group was unpleasantly scary. They didn't seem to take any effort to break down the obstacles on the way.

She feared for when her time came.

Because she was not stupid.

Her time was coming.

[tag list]

@northernbluetongue​ @gimme-more-caffeine @kris-pines04​ @drarryismylife101​ @puzzlelover431​ @18-fandoms-unite-08​ @krispydefendorpolice​ @asheanomhominem​  @you-will-never-know-how-i-think @cutechip​ @just-an-avarage-nerds-blog​ @lirulua​ @j-a-n-e-d-o-e @naclychilli​ @the-blindwatcher​ @xxmdsxx​ @emootaku-666​ @nicknnie​​ @multplelifes​​ @slytherinhquinn​​ @caffeinetheory​​ @clumsy-owl-4178​​ @k-poplunardreams​​ @moonystars14​​ @damianette-is-life​​ @

[thetrashsean]

“Why wasn’t Life is Strange 2 as popular as the first game?”

A lot of people like myself have wondered what exactly made Life is Strange 2 go so relatively unnoticed compared its predecessor, Life is Strange 1. And when you think about it, you may come up with the few obvious generic answers, such as the lack of Max and Chloe and just the original cast in general. However, I think there was a lot more at play here that prevented Life is Strange 2 from reaching the amount of success/popularity the first game had. So I want to take the time and break down what exactly happened to Life is Strange 2 and the things that hurt the game’s ability to really connect with the audience of LiS1.

Disclaimer: We do NOT know how well Life is Strange 2 was for Dontnod and if it was a success or not. No sales numbers have been given out to the public so there’s no way of knowing for sure how well the game did. What we do know is that LiS2 did not receive the same amount of attention/popularity as the first game. That can’t be denied, it simply didn’t. However, based on the fact that Dontnod have recently announced they are working on six new games at the moment and are now expanding their studio, even if LiS2 was a “flop” it doesn’t seem to have had much of an effect on them (most likely due to the success of Vampyr). Dontnod is going to be fine either way. Another thing I want to mention is that this is not a anti-LiS2 post and that I am a fan of the game. I’d consider myself a pretty big fan actually. I have my problems with the game of course and don’t agree with a lot of the writing decisions but I enjoyed the game very much overall. But for the sake of this post I will try to be as unbiased as possible, giving out only what I’ve observed when it comes to reactions from the fandom on different websites and forums. So with that all being said, let’s dive in to this.

Here I will be listing the many different reasons as to why Life is Strange 2 failed to reach the same amount of popularity as LiS1 or even BtS managed to achieve. This list isn’t in any particular order but some reasons are bigger/more important than others.

For some background, there was a lot of hype going into Life is Strange 2. The teaser trailer for it with the cop car trended at #2 on YouTube, a huge feat for the series. It generated immense amount of views and comments in a short period in time, completely surpassing Before the Storm’s announcement trailer in just a few weeks. So what exactly happened to all that hype? Where did everybody go? Well, let’s break everything down.

1. The lack of Max and Chloe: Yes I said that this list wouldn’t be in any particular order in terms of importance but I think it’s obvious this one is one of, if not the biggest reason as to why LiS2 failed to match LiS1’s popularity. When the protagonists Sean and Daniel were first revealed, the reception was pretty divisive. Specifically, a very vocal part of the community were baffled and disappointed at the lack of Max and Chloe present within the trailer and subsequently the game itself. This instantly turned off a lot of people from the game, as they couldn’t connect with the new characters or simply didn’t want to. At that point in the franchise Max and Chloe as well as the original cast from the first game had been the face of the series for almost three years. It’s understandable why it was hard for people to just…move on. To this day people are still asking for Max and Chloe to return. The Life is Strange subreddit is still dominated with Max and Chloe fanart. Whenever the social media accounts for Life is Strange post anything Max and Chloe related it gets way more attention compared to a post about Sean and Daniel. Whenever a post online goes viral about Life is Strange you can bet it’s most likely about Max and Chloe. Hell the only reason why episode 5 of Life is Strange 2 trended on Tumblr was because of the fucking picture of Max and Chloe. On the releas day of episode 5 of LiS2 the top post on the subreddit was the Max and Chloe picture. It was almost as if that one photo of them completely overshadowed the entire episode. Point is, Life is Strange 2 lost a lot of momentum the moment it was revealed Max and Chloe would not be present. Case closed, let’s move on.

2. The release schedule: Words cannot describe how frustrating the release schedule was for LiS2 when it came to it’s episodes. For those reading this who didn’t follow LiS2 until the game was finished, each episode took around 3-4 months to be released. This was because Dontnod bit off a bit more than they could chew with the road trip story in having to create new locations and character models from scratch. The reason why this wasn’t a problem for LiS1 was because Max was for the most part always in the same locations around the same characters (I’m pretty sure you roam around Chloe’s house like 4 times throughout the season), which made development a lot easier since the devs could just reuse a lot of the assets. Unfortunately, this wasn’t possible for LiS2 due to the nature of it’s story. The wait times between each episode made a lot of people leave the fandom due to loosing interest or simply forgetting about the game altogether. This also impacted youtubers/streamers as many of them either stopped coming back to play the new episodes or they’d not be as connected as they were in the previous episode due to the amount of time that had passed. One of the reasons why LiS1 gained so much popularity was because of youtubers/streamers and how they would bring in their audience and would pretty much make them fans of the series. With quite a handful of youtubers/streamers quitting LiS2, the game was not able to draw in as much of an audience as previous games did. This is how detreminetal the release schedule was for LiS2.

3. The marketing (or lack thereof): Square Enix really fucked up on this aspect. Due to the ridiculous wait times you would think Square Enix would try and advertise the game heavily when a new episode was about to be released, right? Well they didn’t. Not at all actually. Throughout the games release schedule from September 2018 up to December 2019, I had not seen a single ad for the game. Nothing on YouTube, nothing on reddit or any other websites, it was like Square Enix had completely forgotten about the game’s existence. Now don’t get me wrong, SE did do a few things with LiS2 like starting up the community series on their YouTube channel and also the dev updates that came after episode 1 (that stopped after episode 2 for some reason) but these went relatively unnoticed to people outside of the fandom and did pretty much nothing. I believe SE was trying to wait until the game was fully complete with all of it’s episodes released before actually marketing the game (and they DID start advertising the game after episode 5 came out) but that’s just WAAAY too long to go without any type of advertisement. I understand marketing teams have budgets and what not, but you’re telling me there was no way for SE to market each episode in anyway as they were about to be released? Seems a bit ridiculous, don’t you think?

4. The road trip story: I completely understand why Dontnod wanted to branch out and do something different with the story of Life is Strange 2 and I respect them for stepping out of their comfort zones. However, it can’t be denied that the road trip story where characters are cycled in and out as Sean and Daniel make their way to Mexico was a very…questionable decision. Seeing as how LiS1 was loved for it’s world filled with a reoccurring cast of characters that developed as the story went on, it’s really easy to understand why LiS2 was so off-putting for a lot of fans. It was off-putting for me, even. It just…wasn’t fun having to leave these truly interesting characters behind because the plot demanded it. This left a lot of characters feeling underdeveloped to many people and by the time you meet new characters you already know they’re most likely gonna be gone soon anyways, so it made it even harder to connect with them. Couple this with the fact that LiS2 lacked any type of mystery unlike LiS1, speculation and discussion fizzled out a few weeks after each episode was released. LiS1 kept people speculating and wondering about what would happen next, while LiS2 left a lot of people struggling to care.

5. Politics: Yeeeeaaaaah I think I had to put this somewhere on the list. While many of the people who tease and mock how LiS2 handled its political topics were most likely not fans of the series anyway (the type of people who called LiS1 “Life is Tumblr” and hate Chloe), I do think it’s important to realize that some people just don’t want politics in their games, period. I’ve seen people online come out and say that while they agreed with what the writers were saying when it came to the political topics, it overall still came off very forced and one-sided to them, lacking any type of nuance or subtlety. I could write an entire essay discussing if the politics in LiS2 were handled well and whatnot but this is not that post so I’ll just leave it at that.

6: Lack of a prominent female cast/wlw: This is a bit more tricky to talk about (for the record the person writing this is a black gay guy) but I will try and write about this the best way I can. For many women, specifically queer women, Life is Strange was a series they could expect representation from. Max, Chloe, Rachel, and Steph are all popular characters amongst the fandom and even other wlw ships such as Marshfield, Chasefield, Chaseprice, etc are popular. So when LiS2 was revealed to be about two (hispanic) males, the queer women within the community were understandably upset. It felt like DN were simply throwing away the community that for the most part made up the entire fandom. At the time I simply found the situation ridiculous and overblown as many people were dismissing Sean and Daniel as “generic straight males” (even though it turned out Sean was bisexual in the end) before really getting to know them. However, looking back I totally get why people were upset. A lot of the fanart/fanfiction that was made for the LiS series was mostly created by queer women, so when the franchise pretty much stopped giving them representation, they left in search of other media (like She-Ra, which honestly has better wlw rep anyway). LiS2 is also mostly male dominated in terms of its cast, and features no queer women as well, which is really disappointing in my opinion.

7. Price: This one is pretty simple. When Life is Strange 2 was first released the full season costed $40. This was a pretty big jump in comparison to LiS1’s $20 price tag (original price was $25 however) and BtS’s $16. Obviously people would be more skeptical about buying a sequel that is pretty much double the price of its predecessor and has completely new characters. With the pretty mixed reception from gaming communities I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of people saw the price and decided to either watch a playthrough or simply not check out the game at all. With the first episode now free the base price has been lowered to around $30-32 I believe so yeah.

8. Daniel Diaz: Some people just don’t like kids, and I wouldn’t be surprised if people grew easily frustrated with Daniel early on and once he got more irrational and bratty as the story progressed they just stopped playing altogether. Even if you do like kids, or at least don’t mind them like myself, Daniel can still be quite a pain.

9. Not having control of the powers: This one is honestly really disappointing and I know it was to a lot of other people as well. In LiS1 Max had the ability to rewind time and do certain scenarios and conversations over and that basically acted as the more interesting gameplay segments. In LiS2 Sean doesn’t have the power, his brother Daniel does. This leads to the gameplay feeling much more boring and mundane. There are also no interesting puzzles this time around, most likely because Dontnod didn’t know how to implement them without the rewind power so they just…didn’t even attempt to add any. The power itself, telekinesis, is also much less interesting compared to rewinding time, according to a lot of people.

SO YEAH that’s basically it for me. I know this probably came off a bit rambly/incoherent but I tried my best to be as clear as I possibly could. I don’t doubt there are other reasons at play as to why LiS2 failed to meet LiS1’s success (such as liscensed music not being quite as good as LiS1) but I think I hit the main points I believe were key reasons. And the thing is, there isn’t just one main reason why LiS2 didn’t do as well as LiS1. It’s overall very unfortunate so many things went wrong with it that ended up making people lose interest in it. I think the lack of Max and Chloe hurt the game the most right off the bat, but the other reasons just led it to do even worse. Oh well.

I hope any of the people who read this enjoyed it (it was a BITCH to write). I’ve been wanting to get my thoughts down about this for SO long but just never had the motivation/time but I finally did it!

Again, thanks for reading! If you have any disagreements or just thoughts in general don’t be afraid to reply or dm me about it and I’ll be sure to reply! Now back to reblogging Marco posts….

[unmaskedagain]

Oh Lady Luck (How I miss you so!)

Okay; first off. I hated this. I had a massive case of writer’s block while doing it and lost inspiration near the end.

Oh Lady Luck (How I miss you so!)

           Bustier’s class was the luckiest in school, everyone knew it. They got to go on the most amazing trips, win contest after contest, competition after competition, met all sorts of celebrities, frequently got to meet Ladybug, through the best dances and school plays, and always seemed to have a pep in their step. Anything any of the students went after they always managed to get. Everyone knew Bustier’s class was the luckiest in school. Then one day that changed dramatically.

“You’ve changed,” Alya accused Marinette after the class voted her out as Class president. “You become a bully.”

           Alix snorted, “More like a jealous bitch.”

           There were nods from the other students in class. Lila smiled at Marinette; happy that her promise to ruin the girl was coming true.

“You’re always so mean to Lila,” Rose added. “It’s not nice.”

“You’re worse than Chloe now,” Kim glared.

           Juleka frowned, “We miss the old Marinette.”

“You should’ve chilled out like I told you to, dudette,” Nino said with a shake of his head, clearly disappointed.

“We can’t be your friends anymore,” Alya crossed her arms.

           Marinette had listen to them quietly as they relayed reason after reason why they were ending their friendships with her; all to do with Lila. She didn’t bother to look at Adrien. He had warned her what was going to happen; Nino had told him. There had also been a group text apparently. Adrien made it clear he stood with Marinette. Even more so, when he chose to sit with her in the back of the class, a fierce glare on his face at the other students.

The bluenette placed down her pencil, closed her sketchbook and said, “Fine. Then we’re not friends anymore.”

“That’s counts double for me,” Adrien hissed. “Lose my number. In fact, don’t bother; I’ll just change it. That goes for every last one of you. I’ll be informing my Father and Nathalie that only Chloe and Marinette are on my visitors list.”

           The class blinked in shock. Not expecting that reaction from the blond boy who was usually so amicable and nice.

           Chloe watched with amused eyes. She had been sentenced to the back of the room not long after Marinette. “We’ve never been friends but consider all extra little perks you’ve gotten used to: dead and over with.”

           That was it. None of the other students knew what to say or do. They hadn’t gotten the reaction they expected. Marinette didn’t seem to care. Adrien seemed ready to set them on fire. Chloe looked rather pleased at the idea of seeing them burn. Most shrugged it off; figuring at least two of the three (Marinette and Adrien) would come crawling back in no time.

           They didn’t.

           Things started to change for the students in Bustier’s class the next day.

           Lila woke up in the morning to an email confirming that she would no longer being a model or any type of employee for the Gabriel Agreste brand. Or as Nathalie put it when the sausage hair girl called her, “We will no longer be needing your services, Miss Rossi. Do not contact us again.” Click.

           That was when Lila realized her plan of using Gabriel to get Adrien under her thumb had went up in flames. She hoped that Adrien wasn’t informed so that maybe she could still use his father as a threat against the boy.

           When she go to class, the blond model sent her a vicious smirk. Lila paled. She knew without a doubt that Adrien didn’t just know Lila was fired, he was the one got her fired.

           Nino woke up to the news that the gig he was due to play, his big break, had replaced him. It would’ve been huge for his career.

Oh well, he thought, back to DJ-ing for birthday parties.

           Alya accidently dropped her phone in the toilet; ruining hundreds of videos and pictures for the Ladyblog.

           Alix took a dive while skating; broke her ankle and the watch her dad gave her.

           Max broke his glasses.

           Kim got food poisoning.

           Ivan’s dad ran over his drum set while parking in the garage.

           Rose tried to call Prince Ali and found out he changed his number.

           Nathaniel spilled coffee all over his Ladybug comic strips. Marc had been pissed.

           Juleka’s mom accidently put bleach in with a load of her laundry; it ruined everything.

           By the time they had all got to class, all the students were in a terrible mood. However, when Marinette walked in with a box full of delicious smelling breakfast pastries; they perked up. The bluenette always seemed to know when they needed a pick me up. And there was nothing like a treat from the Dupain-Cheng Bakery.

           Marinette didn’t acknowledge any of their presences. She walked straight to the back of the classroom, sat in her seat between Chloe and Adrien. “Morning!” She beamed at her friends. “I brought treats for the three of us.”

“Awesome!” Adrien smiled, quickly opening the box and snagging a chocolate croissant. “Delicous, Thank you” He said. Or least they thought he said that. His mouth was full and it was mostly garbled.

           Chloe rolled her eyes. She grabbed a mixed berries and cream cheese pastry, “Perfect way to start the day. Thank you, Marinette.”

           Marinette took out her favorite: a berry and jasmine scone. Then she promptly through the box away; making clear that she hadn’t brought any for anyone else. “Anything for my friends.”

“We’ll do lunch at Le Grand Paris,” Chloe said. “On me of course. The chef there is to die for.”

           The other students visibly wilted. Alya in particular who loved going to Le Grand Paris as her mother was the head chef.

           It all went downhill from there.

           Over the next week things went from bad to worse for the students.

           Bustier told the class their trip the Presidential office was cancelled due to an unexpected flooding incident. The plan had been for the class to tour the office and have amazing picnic on the beach afterwards

           Lila’s mother, who had been busy nearly 24/7, officially went on vacation, meaning she plenty of time to spend with her daughter. Her daughter was panicked when her mother inquired about visiting her school.

           Alya discovered that the hits to her site had started to declined dramatically. She didn’t have time to worry about that as her internship with a local new studio had been cancelled; something about realizing Alya didn’t have enough experience. So her summer plans were cancelled.

           Nino’s Dj equipment sparked or shorted out or something but nothing would work anymore. He had cancel the rest of his gigs until he could buy new ones.

           Kim lost a swim match against Ondine.

           Markov got a virus and broke down causing Max to break down in tears.

           Nathaniel lost the expensive sketch pencil he won in a contest.

           Alix’s grandmother brought her a new dresses; frilly monstrosities that Alix’s forced her to wear to school for the entire week.

           Rose, Ivan, and Juleka were heartbroken when Luka announced he was going Solo.

           It didn’t help anyone’s mood that every day Marinette, Chloe, and Adrien walked into class with big smiles on their faces and pleasantly discussed their amazing plans.

           On Wednesday, Adrien invited Marinette and Chloe to come with him to meet the Prime Minister.

           Apparently, Adrien’s dad had called in favors so the three would tour Palais Bourbon, where the French Parliament meets.

“He said I could invite all my friends!” Adrien smiled.

           Marinette had been shocked at this. Until Adrien explained that his aunt had threatened to reveal to the world Gabriel Agreste’s neglectful behavior, his tendency break child labor laws, and his need to isolate Adrien. Thanks to his aunt, Adrien had a much free-er schedule and Gabriel had been in therapy for weeks. “I’ll bring food from the bakery. We can have a picnic!”

“Beach day!” Chloe cheered.

           No one else so much as smiled at the news. Even more so when pictures surfaced on Friday of Marinette, Chloe, Adrien, Ondine, Marc, Mireille, and Aurore with various members of Parliament; including the prime minister.

           Thursday, Chloe loudly invited Marinette and Adrien to an event for her mother, “It’s a fashion show! It’s tonight. Adrien can relax behind the scenes, while Mari and me model on the run way. Mama’s lost a few models so I told her I could recommend a few friends.”

“I’m modeling!” Marinette paled so much, her friends were sure she’d pass out.

“I get to do nothing!” Adrien grinned.

           Pictures of Chloe and Marinette modeling exploded across the internet; multiple fashion websites and online magazines deeming the girls’ Style Queen’s secret weapon and modeling next big thing.

           Most of the guys in class shrugged it off. But a few of the girls turned greened with envy; Lila in particular.

           On Friday, Marinette invited Adrien and Chloe to meet her uncle and her cousin, “He’s back in town on Saturday and he wants to meet all my friends.”

           No one else in class paid too much to that. Who cared about Marinette’s uncle? Or her cousin? They were probably just as stuck-up and nasty as she was.

           Then on Saturday, picture of the same group who went to Parliament, plus Luka, with Jagged Stone and Clara Nightingale started trending on the internet. Jagged Stone posted a tweet about how awesome his honorary niece was, with a picture of him and Marinette. Clara posted a pic with her favorite little cousin, Marinette.

           Alya couldn’t believe her eyes and immediately started texting Marinette for the deets. She received a text back saying; new number; who dis?

           Nino flat-out called Adrien only hear that the number had been disconnected.

           The rest of the class faced the same issue.

           And then one by one, they each remembered that they weren’t friends with any of the tree Ostracized students anymore.

           Monday, Alya found out that BugOut, a competing Ladybug blog, had been officially endorsed by Ladybug and Chat Noir. Something that hadn’t happened with the Ladyblog.

           Max lost the science fair. For the first time. He had to go see the school guidance counselor.

           Kim got kicked off the team for his poor grade.

           Lila’s finally called the school to schedule an appointment. Lila was Akumatized within the five minutes.

           Alix’s grandma brought her more clothes; some which were tacky sweaters with cats all over them

           Nathaniel misplaced his new sketch book, with his redone Ladybug comic strips. He never found it. Marc wasn’t happy.

           Nino got a call to dj a huge event only to have to decline as he hadn’t bought new equipment yet.

           It was Adrien that brought in breakfast for the other two; Mcdonalds. Much to the Chloe and Marinette’s dismay, but they didn’t say anything as the boy was clearly happy about being allowed to eat it for the first time.

           Marinette unwrapped her sausage Mcgriddle, wondering who she hurt in a past life, “Jagged is doing a private concert. You two want to come?”

           Adrien nodded, his mouth full of fried hash brown and bacon. “Count me in,” They think he said.

           Chloe held the egg mcmuffin in her hand like it was physically hurting her to do so, “I’m in,” she said. “And I’m bringing breakfast tomorrow.”

           The class was dismayed at missing at meeting Jagged Stone again.

“Are you going to invite us?” Alya asked with a huff.

           Marinette didn’t even look in her direction, “Sorry Uncle Jagged said I can only invite my friends.”

           Ouch.

           Over the course of the next few months, things continued to fall apart for the class. They tried planning one of their usual amazing dances, only for everything to crash and burn. Then they remembered that Marinette planned everything, and before her, Chloe.

           The class never made enough money fundraising so nearly all planned class trips were canceled.

           They had to deal with seeing pictures of Marinette, Adrien, and Chloe and all their friends meeting all sorts of celebrities.

           Ladybug disowned the Ladyblog; causing Alya to burst into tears.

           No matter what any of the students tried, did, competed in, they never won. They practically failed at everything.

           Rose tried to bake cookies for the class; her kitchen caught on fire.

           Max applied for science camp; all spots were full.

           Nathaniel who had lost his comic drawing for the twelfth time in a row was finally told by Marc to take a hike.

           Nino lost his hat, broke his glasses, a dog at his homework, and he tripped landed face down in the mud; all on the way to school one morning.

           The students were constantly late, frustrated, and always seemed to have something accidently spilled or thrown on their clothes.

           Lila’s  mother, who finally decided to just randomly drop by the school after being told repeatedly by her daughter that it was closed so she couldn’t do the appointment for months, was shocked to say the least when it was clearly opened and active. She had a long talk with the Principle and all of Lila’s lies were revealed to class.

           Class was very apologetic to the three ostracized students after that but it didn’t matter. The three made it clear they weren’t interested in renewing their friendships.

           By the end of the year Bustier’s class went from the luckiest in school to the unluckiest kids on the planet.

           The students of Bustier’s class couldn’t help but wonder aloud why they lucked changed do much.

           Tikki, Plagg, and Pollen, hidden away in their chosens’ school bags just smirked.

[broadstbroskis]

surprises- pt 8 | mat barzal

oooffff it’s been quite a long journey and thanks for sticking with me through the wait! it’s finally here- the next and last part of surprises! thanks to everyone for reading, thanks for all your lovely feedback and kind words throughout this series, and all the support as i worked through this last part! it’s meant the world to me and i hope you all enjoy this last part!

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4 | part 5 | part 6 | part 7

When you wake up one morning to absolute silence, you get suspicious. No baby cries, no sounds of Mat breathing next to you, nothing.

But when you investigate, you find Mat sprawled out on the couch, holding Maeve against his chest, and they’re both passed out. She’s grown, definitely grown a lot since you brought her home, but his hand still covers most of her body. You reach for your phone, snapping a picture (to add to the many you’ve taken of the two of them over the past month), only to fumble it when you see the instagram notification on the front screen. 

Mat’s tagged you in a post and you sit down on the floor in front of the two of them as you slide to open it. And then, you gasp, immediately reaching to cover your mouth and hide the sound, as you look through the roll of pictures that Mat posted.

One Month with Maeve: You Like: eating, sleeping, anything your mom does You Dislike: tummy time

When you look up, Mat’s watching you, with a hopeful look on his face. “Hi.” He says quietly.

“Hi.” You return, flipping your phone around to him. “I call bullshit.”

He laughs-gently and quietly, so as not to wake Maeve-and then grins. “Oh yeah? On what?”

“That she likes anything I do.” Maeve’s just...so content anytime she’s in Mat’s arms. Anytime he’s just in her proximity. She’s recently started to recognize his voice, turning her head for it anytime she hears it...sometimes even over FaceTime. “You are definitely the favorite.”

Mat kisses the top of Maeve’s head gently; it’s a favorite thing for both of you right now, you’re pretty sure. “Maybe, but we still like anything you do.”

You raise an eyebrow at him. “We?”

“Yeah, both of us.” Mat says, like it’s something he says everyday, totally normal and casual.

Cheeks flushed, you stand up. “I’m going to go make breakfast.”

“We’ll come.” Mat stands, careful not to jostle Maeve too much.

“You don’t have to.” You offer. You know how tired he is all the time now, between Maeve and playoffs. He could use all the rest he can get.

“I want to.” Mat settles himself on one of the chairs by the counter and re-adjusts Maeve. “I feel like I barely get to see you guys right now.”

“Somebody’s gotta pay off that nice, big house.” You chirp, pulling out the eggs to make omelets.

Mat laughs. “Can’t even move into it yet and it’s already costing me money.”

“Don’t think about the price tag until you get paid this summer.”

“Once again. You cannot max out my credit card in the Target Home Section. Even with a bonus this year.”

“I gave you the most perfect human ever and this is how you repay me?’

Mat looks down at Maeve, unable to stop the smile that grows over his face, and in return, you feel one spread across yours as you watch him. “Go crazy.”

-----

Two Months with Maeve: You Like: the new hockey mobile Uncle Tito bought you, when your mom and i talk to you You Dislike: the carseat, more tummy time

When you slip into Maeve’s nursery in the new house (just barely unpacked, but still the most unpacked room in the entire house by far), Mat’s got the same sad look on his face that he’s worn for the last three days, standing in the middle of the room, watching her sleep. You give him a minute, see if he notices your presence, and when he doesn’t acknowledge you, you slide behind him and wrap your arms around his waist, dropping your head between his shoulder blades. “You’re still amazing.”

Mat’s laugh is hollow and you know he’s thinking about how he was held scoreless for the last two games this series, thinking about all the things he could have done differently so that they weren’t eliminated. “You’re biased.”

“Like I’ve ever held back from telling you that you suck before.”

It’s not a smile, but the corner of his lips do turn up. “Fair.”

You smile, hiding the grin in his back. “We’re happy to have you home more.”

“Even though this means we won’t get to put Maeve in the cup?” You can picture his eyebrows raise with the question, even though it’s dark and you’re not even looking at him.

“I mean, she would have looked really cute in it.” You poke his side. “But I’ll get over it. We’ll just have to take cute baby pictures with her somewhere else.”

“You mean, like this new house we just moved into?”

“This new house we just moved into where every room is either filled with boxes or has no furniture?”

You feel Mat hesitate. “Maybe there’s a park nearby.” He says and you laugh. 

“Maybe.” You agree, slipping around to curl into his side, so you can both watch Maeve sleep.

-----

Three Months with Maeve: You Like: that new activity mat, music, afternoon walks You Dislike: pop goes the weasel, noisy birds on the walks

“These came out so good.” Molly enthuses, beaming as she stares at the pictures of Maeve that you and Mat had professionally taken, shortly after your conversation about it, to send out in cards to everyone you know.

“Right?” It had taken a little to decide where you wanted to have the pictures taken, the house still not finished and immediately eliminated. Almost all the parks nearby had been eliminated by your photographer due to lighting and the one that hadn’t, had been nixed by you. You and Mat had both scrunched your nose up at the thought of bringing Maeve to the beach already, as well as a few other suggestions. In the end, though, you can’t imagine anyone will be shocked to see the ice rink in the background of a few of the pictures, and it seemed only fitting. 

As usual, Maeve’s perfectly at ease in Mat’s arms, who’s beaming down at her, in your favorite shot of the afternoon, as you hang onto his arm gently to keep yourself upright, the same wide grin on your own face as you look at the two of them. There are so many other shots from the day- Mat skating while holding Maeve; the two of you laughing while you move easily on the ice; close ups of Maeve sleeping peacefully in Mat’s arms, just happy to be close to him (unless it’s the proximity to the ice- she is definitely his daughter). And then there’s all the candids.

“Some tough choices for the photo wall.” Molly muses.

“Gonna need lots of frames.” You agree, as the back door opens and Tito walks in, bouncing Maeve gently in his arms, closely followed by Mat and Brian. 

“Alright, patio’s done.”

“Perfect!” Molly claps her hands together and you give her a look because she sounds too excited. “Great timing.”

Tito huffs, still bouncing Maeve, who’s smiling away at him and probably going to start giggling at any minute. She’d laughed for the first time last week and it felt like since then, she hadn’t stopped. “We said we’d have it done in time, didn’t we?”

“In time for what?” You press, skeptically.

“Yes, “Molly ignores you completely. “But I honestly didn’t believe you.”

“Rude.” Brian teases. “The lack of faith.”

“Yeah.” Tito adds. “What’d we do to deserve this?”

“What are you three talking about?” Mat huffs, and you feel ten times better already that you’re not the only one left out.

“Oh!” Molly blinks, like it’s only just occurred to her that she hasn’t actually told you what’s going on yet. “Right. You two are going out tonight. We made you a dinner reservation and we’re going to stay here and babysit while you do.”

You hesitate, relieved that when you look over to meet Mat’s eyes, you see the same look. “I don’t know.”

“We’re not going to force you to go.” Brian says, before Molly or Tito can jump in, with what’s certain to be a much less soft comment. “We just thought you could use a couple hours out. Without having to worry.”

It’s not...the worst thought, if you’re honest, and you can see the idea growing on Mat as well. “I mean, we’re probably still going to worry.” He says, even as you can see him start to grin.

“What, now, you don’t trust me with your kid?” Tito says, feigning hurt. “And to think, I almost made godfather.”

“Because YN’s brother almost didn’t show up.” Mat throws back at him.

“Classic Christopher.” You grin at the memory of your brother literally running into the church last month for the baptism only just in time. 

“You two go get moving; we promise to take perfect care of your baby.” Molly says.

“Team Baby.” Tito sticks his free hand, the one not holding Maeve to his chest, into the center of the circle you’ve all formed, and stares at you all expectantly, until each one of you piles a hand on top of his. “Team Baby!” He cheers again, and then he steers Maeve over to her activity mat and lies down on the floor with her.

“Go.” Molly gestures and it doesn’t take much more for you and Mat to turn and start getting dressed because that’s her I mean business face. “Dress nice!” She calls after you. “Suit, tie, dress, heels. The works!”

“Where could they possibly be sending us?” Mat mutters as the two of you climb up the steps toward your room, and you hide your snicker much better than he does.

“Mathew!” Molly calls, warningly.

“First shower.” You call dibs to him, and rush past him for it, laughing at the look on his face.

While Mat showers after you, you fix your hair and makeup, and then step into your closet, already pulling a face at all your dresses before you even look at them. 

You’re starting to feel more like yourself after giving birth, finally, after three months, but you don’t feel completely there. You’re not sure you ever will, that’ll you’ll ever feel that easy and carefree again, or that you’ll ever look the same again, and you’ve talked with Grace and Lauren, and are coming to terms with it. Have come to terms with it, really. The trade-off for Maeve’s smiles made everything worth it.

But.

But you don’t have a single dress that fits the way you like now.

There are four dresses on the floor of your closet and at least five more that you couldn’t even bring yourself to try on before you find a charcoal colored slip dress that’s covered in a pattern of dark sequins. The strappy heels that go along with it are an old comfort; they, at least, still fit you.

Mat’s holding a tie up in the mirror when you come out of the closet, like he’s debating if he actually has to wear it, but the second he sees you through the glass, his eyes go wide and the tie drops from his hand.

“Now those hands aren’t going to earn you that new contract.” You tease, unable to handle the thick silence that’s fallen between you.

“What?” It’s like he didn’t even hear the joke; his eyes are roaming up and down. “Fuck. You want to skip dinner?”

You actually kinda do. You’d seen Mat leaving the old apartment all spring in a suit on his way to the airport or the arena, all the way up until they’d been eliminated, so maybe it was just the context of the evening, but he looked unreal tonight. You nod, but then immediately bite your lip...which just makes Mat groan. “They’re not going to let us just stay here, though.”

Mat grins, reaching for your hand. “Trust me on this.”

“I do.” You smile at him, squeezing gently in return,

And it takes the two of you almost thirty minutes to leave the house after that, despite the heated looks in your bedroom, because neither of you wants to leave Maeve again once you see her, but Molly shoves you out the door with threats about missing your reservation, and once the door’s closed, that’s all it takes for Mat to turn his gaze right back to you.

There is, blessedly, still furniture in his old apartment, still his as he continues to decide whether to sell it or rent it, and you’ve never been so thankful for his unusual moment of indecisiveness as he lies you down into his old bed, pressing kisses onto any spot of skin he can find.

-----

Four Months with Maeve: You Like: playing with your toes, sitting, laughing and babbling You Dislike: when anyone takes a toy from you

Expecting Mat, you’re a little surprised when you turn and see that the form that’s flopped down in the shade beside you and Maeve is actually Tyson. “How’s my best girl?” He coos at her, as entranced with her as anyone else has been since you and Mat had come up to Canada last week to see Mat’s family.

Maeve giggles, babbling some noises back at him, and reaching her hands out for his curls. “Don’t.” You warn him, but he’d learned that lesson already this week, and he intercepts her with his thumb instead, a wide grin on his face. “Sucker.” You tease.

“How can you say no to this face?” He cries and yeah, when she’s laughing and smiling like that, you can see what he means. Especially because it’s Mat’s smile she seems to have inherited, even if it looks like the rest of Maeve’s features might be all you.

“Mmmm, you get used to it.” You tell him anyway, and Tyson grins knowingly, so you close your eyes, relaxing in the sun for a moment, confident that someone is watching your baby and you can get a few minutes of rest.

It doesn’t last long, because shortly after closing your eyes, you feel something heavy and wet plaster itself to you and you open one eye to glare, which is as much as you can be bothered with out by the lake. “Mat!”

He’s already grinning down at you, water from the lake dripping from his face to yours. “You looked a little hot.”

“I was very comfortable.”

Mat lays his head down on your chest. “Well, now I’m very comfortable.”

“You are the most annoying person I’ve ever met.” You say, and you don’t need Tyson to laugh to know that you don’t sound serious at all.

“Liar.” Mat says, and you can feel him grinning against your skin. “You love me.”

You pause for a moment, unintentionally, as you move your hand up to play with his hair, but it’s long enough that you feel the smile start to slip from his face. “Yeah.” You tease. “I guess I do.” 

Mat’s grin returns and he presses the softest kiss to whatever piece of skin he can reach, but before he can say anything else, Maeve starts babbling away. “I know.” Tyson coos at her. “They’re so cute it’s disgusting.”

“Hey!” Mat frowns. “Let go of my baby so I can push you down.”

Tyson laughs. “Well thanks for that get out of jail free card!”

-----

Five Months of Maeve: You Like: hide and seek, bananas, applesauce You Dislike: peas (can’t blame you, kiddo)

“Do we really want to try peas again so soon?” You frown at Mat, holding up one of the other jars of baby food.

He shrugs. “Gonna have to jump back in eventually.”

You pull a face. “Spoken like the man who didn’t get puked on.”

“We get puked on like ten times a day!”

“It was green!”

He laughs. “I’ll do the peas this time.”

You laugh. Sucker. “Deal.”

It’s super gratifying then, to see that Maeve hates the peas this time just as much as she had before. She’s not about Mat’s airplane noises once she realizes what’s on the spoon he’s trying to feed her with and none of his usual tricks are working to try and calm her down once she starts crying. 

But when Mat looks at you for help, you don’t do anything but laugh, continuing to film the entire disastrous event. “Really?” He gives you a look.

“Not so cocky now, huh?” You fire the video off into, like, three different chats- the one with his family, to Team Baby, and the Islanders Moms chat, because he could probably use the ego deflation- and then reach for Maeve, who settles almost instantly against you, her crying quieting as you hold her against your side.

“Sure.” Mat grumbles, dropping the spoon against the high-chair’s table. “All calm now.”

“Oh hush.” You tell him, with a smile, knowing exactly what he’s annoyed about. “You’ll go back to being her favorite in an hour; don’t worry.”

Mat tries to hide his grin by ducking his head to clean the high-chair but you see right through him.

-----

Six Months of Maeve: You Like: bouncing, rolling, wiggling, literally any kind of movement You Dislike: teething (but we dislike you teething too), staying still

“I think she’s going to really start crawling soon.” You remark to Mat, the two of you both seated on the floor, opposite sides of the room, to catch her before she could wriggle into any walls.

She hadn’t quite pushed herself up there yet, but she scooted around pretty well.

“Don’t say that.” Mat groans, reaching out for Maeve and ignoring her cry of protest as he placed her back on the ground, safely away from the wall. She gave him a look, but then went right back to rolling around, rolling onto her back and then over to her stomach again, scooting toward you. “Fuck, imagine when she can walk. Chasing after her.”

“Inability to sit still for sure comes from you.” You try to distract Maeve with a toy, watching as she puts it in her mouth and starts to gnaw on it. Her first tooth had come in the other week, an absolute nightmare, and you were pretty sure another one was following. 

“Can’t prove that.” Mat says, eyes fond as he watches Maeve.

“Wanna bet?” You tease. That’s an easy phone call to make.

“Have I told you how pretty you look today?” Mat beams at you and you burst into laughter because you haven’t showered and you’re covered in baby formula.

“That’s what I thought.” You grin, and then reach out to pull Maeve away from the coffee table.

-----

Seven Months of Maeve: You Like: blocks, knocking down block towers, clapping blocks together, anything blocks You Dislike: noise-cancelling headphones

“These are so cute.” Grace beams, scrolling through the pictures on her phone and simultaneously bouncing a wriggly toddler on her lap. “I’ll send them out as soon as we get upstairs.”

You smile, thanking her already, fixing the earphone covering Maeve’s tiny head. It’s the Islanders’ home opener, Maeve’s first game actually attending, and there’d been a well-documented photo shoot with all the kids prior to the group of you heading down to the glass, to wait for warm ups to start. 

She wasn’t a big fan of the headphones you’d placed on her ears, constantly reaching up to bat them off, but she was looking around, eyes wide as she stared at the crowd around her, even after both teams skated out for warm ups, unable to grasp what exactly was happening.

But she was smiling, beaming the whole time, a grin that only got wider when Mat skated up to the glass in front of you and put his fist up against it. She reaches for it as you bring her closer to the glass, grabbing out for it as he taps it with a grin, and then she babbles a bunch of nonsense when she’s stopped by the glass, retracting her hand immediately.

You and Mat both laugh and he gives one last tap on the glass to you both before skating off to rejoin warm ups.

He absolutely lights it up that night, but the gifs of the the three of you at the glass during warmups cycle through the internet for days.

-----

8 Months of Maeve: You Like: your favorite blankie, Cheerios, cheese You Dislike: i really tried with those peas, kid

You’d do literally anything for some sleep right now, even just a power nap. Mat had been gone on a road trip for a few days now, due back shortly, but Maeve had been so clingy the entire time he was gone, not even wanting to be held by Molly when she’d stopped in to visit, and fussing anytime you’d walked away from her. 

She was playing with a couple of her toys on the floor right now, and it took everything in you to keep your eyes open to watch over her. You contemplated moving her into her bouncer, even as she kept side-eyeing you to make sure you were still close, just in case you accidentally dropped into a nap. 

Suddenly, an arm drops over your shoulders and Mat’s pressing a kiss to your temple. “You look sleepy.”

“I’m exhausted.” You lean against him immediately. “When did you get in?”

“Just now.” He squeezes gently, smiling and waving as Maeve, who’s abandoned her toy the moment she saw him, clapping her hands together and beaming at him, babbling at him happily. “She keeping you up at night?”

“She’s just…” You trail off, not sure how to describe what Maeve is right now. Because on one hand, she’s not normally this clingy, and it’s certainly a change of pace. But it’s not a bad thing to have her so close to you all the time, for her to want to be so close to you- you don’t dislike it at all. “I’m just tired.”

He presses another kiss to your forehead, but before he can say anything, Maeve reaches her arms out for him. “Da!” She’s frowning, probably because Mat’s been ignoring her in favor of you. “Dada!” She reaches out again, and this time Mat’s face lights up, both of yours do, as he sweeps her into his lap.

“Say it again!” Mat prompts, tickling her, which of course doesn’t get her to do anything but giggle.

“Dada.” You try, leaning closer, and she repeats it then, but won’t say it again, for all that Mat tries, struggling out of his arms right after that, to go back to playing.

Mat runs his fingers through his hair, looking absolutely floored, and you still haven’t stopped smiling either. Your baby’s first word! You have to tell everyone! But there’ll be time for that later; Mat’s comfy to lean against right now and he doesn’t look like he wants to go anywhere either, so you press a kiss to his cheek and then lie your head back against his shoulder, content to watch Maeve play with her blocks.

-----

9 Months of Maeve: You Like: walking, giving your mom and I heart attacks while walking You Dislike: sitting still for any length of time (stop laughing at me mom)

“You,” Mat sweeps Maeve off her feet and up into his arms as she toddles past him. “Went from walking to running in like two days! Give your mom and I a rest, kiddo.”

“She gets that from you.” You tell him, tiredly. He’s not wrong though. She’d started pulling herself into standing not long ago, and then shortly after, taken her first steps, and then it felt like the next day, she was off to the races. You spent most of your day chasing her around the house now; she almost never wanted to be picked up anymore.

Even now, she was squirming to get out of Mat’s arms and be back on the ground, already starting to whine about it. Mat obliges, and she takes off- or as well as she can; she hasn’t quite mastered it yet, her feet make that distinct slap noise on the floor that you associate with all babies walking. 

Mat chases and brings her back, but you two quickly have to settle each on one side of the room, eyes watching Maeve and turning her between the two of you. “She needs a friend.” You mutter, steering her back towards Mat, for what seems like the hundredth time in ten minutes.

Mat nods furiously. “Suddenly I understand why people have more than one of these.”

You burst into laughter, loud enough that it stops Maeve for a second. But only a second; she’s right back to toddling over toward you, throwing herself at you, giggling along with you for a moment there. “One of these?” You call Mat out, and he joins you in laughing, as Maeve uses your arm to pull herself back up and starts walking again.

Mat shrugs it off laughingly. “You know what I mean.”

You do. “God, I used to not even imagine being able to have another one of her, but god, if another one meant they could entertain each other; I’d do it in a heartbeat.”

“I’d have five more if it meant we didn’t have to chase her like this.” Mat pulls Maeve back into the room, a small noise of protest coming from her until he puts her back on the floor.

You give him a look. “You can find someone else to have five more with.”

When Mat smiles at you, it’s softer, not his usual bright beam. “Alright.” He says. “We won’t have five more. Two or three more.” You side-eye him, trying to gauge how serious he is, but he must take your silence for agreement, because then he does beam.

-----

10 Months of Maeve: You Like: patty cake, waving, causing chaos You Dislike: bananas, apparently, even though you loved them last month

“Tito!” You gasp excitedly, only just remembering to pick Maeve up and bring her with you, ignoring her fuss in favor of Mat and Tito walking in the door with something much more exciting. “Why didn’t  you tell me you were getting a dog?”

Luckily, she’s easily swayed by the dog, eyeing the wriggling puppy in Tito’s arms. She still doesn’t look like she’s 100% certain about it, but it certainly captures her attention; she stops moving in your arms entirely, blinking at the dog, unmoving.

“Uhhh.” Tito says, in response to you, looking at Mat and then back at you. “Not exactly what happened.”

Mat grins. “So you wanted a dog, right?”

Your jaw drops and the next words are out before you can even think about stopping them. “Shut the fuck up.” And then you immediately wince, because you’ve been on Mat recently about watching his language around Maeve, who’s soaking up words now like an absolute sponge. 

But Mat only laughs, reaching to pull the puppy into his arms, and stepping closer to you and Maeve slowly. “Her name’s Blue, but we can change it.”

“Boo!” Maeve repeats, which really ices the cake on that one, and brings a smile to both of your faces. She’s reaching out for the puppy as Mat steps closer, and you prepare yourself for the worst, but Maeve bursts into happy giggles the second her hand touches the puppy.

Blue sniffs her tiny little hand tentatively, and then licks it happy, and Maeve giggles even harder as she does. “I might cry.” You announce. “This is the greatest day. I thought you’d never cave.”

Tito snickers. “He was worried he’d come home one day and you’d brought a stray home.”

“I considered it.”

“Thought this was better.” Mat agrees. “At least I got to screen for a good one.”

“All dogs are good dogs.” You state firmly. “Let’s put her down and let her explore a little.”

“Come on, Menace.” Mat takes Maeve from your arms, who goes happily, reaching for his hair as she does, but you’ve both caught onto the move by now, so he intercepts her hand with his thumb. “Let’s go follow your new best friend.”

-----

11 Months of Maeve: You Like: baby dolls, baby doll stroller, your fancy new cup, Blue You Dislike: puzzles- you’re not really about toys you sit for anymore

“How soon,” Mat starts one night, when you’re getting ready for bed, both child and dog already asleep in crib and crate from an exhausting evening of playtime. “Is too soon, do you think, to bring Maeve out for a skate?”

You’ve got a mouth full of toothpaste, but you think you still manage to convey what you want with a look. “You’re asking me this question?”

“Good point.” You rinse your mouth out and join Mat in bed. “Maybe we’ll start with mini-sticks and a soft ball.”

You burst into laughter. “You think she’s ready for that?”

“Oh she’s got this walking thing down now.” He brushes that off. “My girl’s an expert.”

You roll your eyes. “Yeah, we knew that was coming.”

Mat grins. “Work on that hand eye coordination now.”

You give him a look, trying to decide how serious he is, and then when deciding that he’s absolutely 100% serious, you press a kiss to his shoulder-the nearest spot of him that you can reach. “Please don’t kill our baby.”

Mat’s already scooting in closer to you, already half asleep because this asshole somehow manages to fall asleep like the second his head hits the pillow basically, and he throws an arm over your waist. “Mmm, kay, promise.”

-----

It was a mistake to sit down, you knew that before you even did it, but you’re exhausted from the day. Between spending your morning getting ready for Maeve’s birthday party, playing hostess throughout the afternoon, and then starting the clean-up process, you honestly think you could fall asleep right here against this wall that you’re leaning against.

Your phone buzzes in your pocket and you slip it out-it’s another message from Molly, probably just more pictures that she took throughout the afternoon-but it’s the instagram tag from Mat that really catches your attention.

The app opens to a picture of the two of you standing on either side of Maeve and her smash cake, both wearing happy parent smiles, as her hand brings another fist of icing to an already-covered face. There’s a picture with the three of you standing with his parents and sister; another with Maeve, Tito, Molly, and Brian; and the last one, just you and Maeve, sitting on the floor and her trying to play with the party hat Molly had put on your head, right after you’d fixed the bow on her headband.

1 Year of Maeve: Happy Birthday to our favorite girl! It’s been an entire year with you already and your mom and I can’t wait to see what comes in the next one

You can’t help but smile at both the caption and the pictures, unable to settle on one and still scrolling through the post when you feel Mat sit down next to you. “Somebody’s getting sleepy.”

The same dopey, fond smile is definitely still on your face as you turn to look at Mat and Maeve, who’s curled in his arms in a way she only does now when she’s absolutely exhausted. But she’s fighting it for sure, eyes fluttering shut and then popping back open again. “Big day.” You agree with him. “And it was a nice day. But I’m happy it’s just us now.”

“Yeah.” Mat says, and it almost sounds like his thoughts are completely in another place for a second as he shifts around on the floor for a second. “It was a great day.” It was; it truly was, and even though there’s still a mess to be cleaned, you’re perfectly content to just sit here for a while longer with Mat and Maeve. When he settles, you lean your head against his shoulder, reaching your hand out to rest it on Maeve’s tiny little wrist. “Hey.” Mat says gently.

“Hmm?”

“Marry me?”

“What?” You laugh, until he brings a hand out to you and opens his fist to show off a diamond ring, and then suddenly you’re not laughing at all. “Oh my god.”

“I just-I want a million more days like this with you,” Mat smiles. “I want forever like that. Marry me.”

“Yes.” You breathe. “Yes, god yes, of course.”

And immediately, Mat’s kissing you, or well, trying to, because you’re smiling and kind of crying, and he’s still holding Maeve in his arms, so you both pull away pretty quickly. “I love you. God, I know I don’t tell you that enough, but I do. So much. It-”

“I love you too.” You cut him off. “I really can’t imagine doing this with anyone else.”

Mat beams at you and you reach your left hand out, biting your lip to avoid giggling as he fumbles a little, one-handedly sliding the ring onto it. But he succeeds, and you admire the ring on your finger, as you lean back against Mat’s shoulder.

The silence that follows is comfortable; the only sound the slight wheeze of Maeve’s breathing. “I think she’s finally out.” Mat says quietly, after a moment. “I’ll take her up?”

“Nah.” You clutch at his arm. “Just-let’s just stay here for a while.”

Mat smiles against the side of your head before he kisses it gently. “Okay.” He kisses it again. “But you know you’re stuck with me forever now, right? Not going anywhere.”

You squeeze his arm. “Not stuck.” Mat beams. “Well, I guess I might feel differently in a month or two.”

“Brat.” Mat says fondly. 

“Yup.” You grin and then throw his own words right back at him. “But you’re stuck with me forever now.”

“Never stuck.” Mat says, and it sounds like such a promise that you can’t help but lean over and try to kiss him again.